11.   In an apparent reversal, the South African Rugby Football Union said Wednesday it would readmit players who defected to professional rugby league.

12.   Junior Paramore, one of the stars of the Western Samoan rugby union team, announced Monday that he is switching to professional rugby league.

13.   Kirwan retired from rugby union two years ago and has spent the past two seasons playing professional rugby league for the Auckland Warriors.

14.   Many eventually jump to the fully professional rugby league.

15.   More budding Samoan players have been signed up by talent scouts from the lucrative Winfield Cup professional rugby league competition in Australia.

16.   New Zealand rugby union coach Laurie Mains Tuesday predicted star wing Jonah Lomu would turn down lucrative offers to switch to professional rugby league.

17.   New Zealand rugby union winger John Timu said Friday that he has signed a three-year contract to play professional rugby league.

18.   New Zealand fly-half Andrew Mehrtens Friday joined All Black coach John Hart in complaining about the workload facing international players in professional rugby union.

19.   New Zealand Rugby Football Union chairman Eddie Tonks Monday rejected claims that the sport needs to pay its leading players to prevent them from defecting to professional rugby league.

20.   New Zealand rugby union winger John Timu has signed a three-year contract to play professional rugby league.