THE recent Lancashire RFU awards evening saw Sedgley Park named 'Senior Club of the Year,' after lifting the National Two title and Thwaites John Burgess Lancashire Cup.

In addition, second row Paul Arnold was named Lancashire Player of the Year,' and both Paul and player-coach Tim Fourie were awarded their Lancashire caps (after playing ten times for the Red Rose county).

The club's Under 17s were honoured after winning the 'Rob Briers' Lancashire Colts Cup, as was Jack Forster (Bolton School & Sedgley Park) for being selected for the England Under 18s (Schools) squad.

Arnold, along with Tigers' team-mate Richard Senior, joined up with the England Counties squad (made up of 26 players from National League Divisions One and Two) on Tuesday to jet off to Canada.

The team will play two tour games against Canadian Super League side Vancouver Island Crimson Tide in Victoria (Saturday June 12), and a Canadian Super League All-Star team in Edmonton (Friday June 18), before returning home on June 20.

Back at Park Lane, the Tigers' management continues to build up the squad in preparation for its inaugural national One campaign, and believes it has signed one player with three more waiting in the wings.

"A Premiership flanker has agreed to join us, but I can't say who it is until we have his signature on a contract," said player-coach Tim Fourie.

"He's a hard tackler, supremely fit, totally committed, hardly ever misses games and we are delighted he has decided to join us rather than other clubs, including Premiership outfits."

Fourie also confirmed that the Tigers are in negotiation with two stand offs who both boast illustrious careers.

One is a Kiwi who has played in the Super 12 competition, the other is a former Irish international and Heineken Cup winner.

"With Ryno Ueckerman returning to South Africa we needed a stand-off who could kick and both these guys fill that remit," explained Fourie.

The club are also believed to be in negotiation with another back row player and a fleet-footed winger who both played in National One last season.

Fourie, red-carded for fighting in Lancashire's game against Cheshire, will now not miss the start of the new season. Looking at a possible 30-day suspension for his part in the incident, he was relieved to be told his dismissal was deemed punishment enough.

Eagle-eyed Tigers supporters would have noticed that the Park Lane ground was seen on Sky TV's "Boots 'n' all" rugby league programme on Wednesday night.

Salford City Reds coach Karl Harrison was interviewed in front of the club house, and it has been revealed that the Super League outfit are the latest professional club to use Park Lane as its training base.

Read more about this development in next week's Prestwich and Whitefield Guide.