Celtic contenders Craig Booth and Stuart Flowers are under international scrutiny.

The form of the York Rugby League Club pack duo is being monitored by Scotland in the run up to a triangular tournament with France and Ireland this winter.

Wasps skipper Flowers, who originally thought he had missed out on selection, and prop forward Booth are competing for a place in Scotland's final 24-man squad.

Scottish coach Bill McGinty and assistant George Fairburn have selected an initial training squad of 30 and plan to whittle that down to 24 by the end of next month.

The possibility of an international double was welcomed by York coach Dean Robinson, who believes the Second Division side will benefit from that added experience.

The Irish kick off the triangular tournament against France in Dublin on November 4, then the Scots and the French meet in Perpignan on November 11, before the Irish travel to Glasgow on November 18.

Said McGinty, also Wigan Warriors Academy coach: "Both Craig and Stuart have been named. At the moment we have 30 but they have got a good chance. Everybody has got a chance.

"We are driving around watching people and it is up to them to keep playing well and if they do they will get into the team."

The York pair will be vying for positions alongside Super League stars including Terry Matterson, of London Broncos, and Sheffield duo Dale Laughton and Paul Carr.

McGinty added: "We have got quite a lot of Super League players in the squad and quite a number of forwards. We are hoping it will go from strength to strength and become a stepping stone to the Great Britain team.

"This is a great tournament. The Irish team will be strong, ours is going to be strong and I hope the French will be. Hopefully it will boost rugby league in Scotland."

The Irish have raised their profile in recent weeks by inviting top Great Britain internationals Adrian Morley, Shaun Edwards and Gary Connolly to pledge their allegiance.

Coach Steve O'Neill, who last season called up discarded York half-back Lee Hanlan, believes they will complement the nucleus of Super League stars already playing for the country, including James Lowes, Barrie McDermott, Bernard Dwyer and Tommy Martyn.

Wasps boss Robinson, meanwhile, declared: "The more internationals we can get out of e side the better as far as I am concerned."

York today joined the rest of the Rugby League clubs considering radical plans to scrap transfer fees.

A proposal to end transfer fees for all out-of-contract players except those aged under 24 was going before the RFL Council in Salford.

The recommendation comes from an RFL committee set up to examine the game's transfer and contract system in the light of the Bosman Ruling.

Club representatives will also be asked to consider a series of changes proposed by RFL technical director Joe Lydon in his Strategic Planning Report.

The latest recommendation from the Lydon Commission, set up in the wake of disastrous results for British clubs in last year's World Club Championship, is for a reduction in the Academy age bracket from Under-19 to Under-18, paving the way for an Under-21 competition to replace the present Alliance.

Also on a packed agenda will be a £55million offer from News Corporation for a revised five-year television contract.

Although the present £87million deal is only halfway through its five-year tenure, negotiations have been taking place on a new contract which will be put before clubs.

Under the revised offer, Super League clubs would get £44million over the next five years, while First and Second Division outfits like York would receive a £10.8million pay-off.

The non-Super League clubs, whose matches are not shown on Sky, are being phased out of dealings with News Corporation and, if the current offer is accepted, would be free to negotiate their own television contract in two years' time.

Other issues on the agenda tomorrow include a revision of the League's disciplinary procedures, the vexed question of links between Super League and FASDA clubs and the appointment of two non-executive directors to the RFL board.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.