BUCK SHELFORD has confirmed the arrival of England and Great Britain Rubgy League star Nathan McAvoy from the Bradford Bulls.

The giant 26-year-old wing-cum centre, named along with Tony Roques and Richard Haughton in the England Sevens squad who travel to Brisbane this week, will become the latest player to switch codes after agreeing a deal in principle with the men in black, which will be finalised this week.

"Nathan is going away with the England sevens and has signed with us for next year really," admitted Sarries' coach Buck Shelford.

"When he's not with the England Sevens, he'll be training with us to teach him a bit more about the game. He'll only play if we really need him. I don't really want to thrown him in at the deep end. He'll need to spend a lot of time with the backs coaches.

"Ive seen a lot of footage of him and by all accounts he's a very tidy player. He's a big man, a very good runner of the ball and stepped to burn. Those are the sort of players we are looking at bringing in."

Contrary to speculation Saracens' assistant coach Darrel Shelford, who vactated his role as backs coach with the Bulls last year to link up with his brother at Vicarage Road, did not initiate the move for McAvoy.

"He (McAvoy) rang the club" revealed Buck Shelford, "and said he was available and wanted to get out of Bradford. We got some footage of him on video which confirmed what Darrel, who has coached him for the last five years, said he was like and we jumped at the chance."

January 27, 2003 13:00