Thomas set to make Crusaders debut

The 35-year-old former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain is expected to start on the wing after Crusaders head coach Brian Noble confirmed the player would make his final cut.

"He will feature in the 17, that's for sure," said Noble. "He's had a couple of good weeks' practice and he's fitted in with the group really well."

Thomas, who was released from the last two months of his contract with Cardiff Blues, has signed a deal with the Super League club to the end of the season, with an option for 2011.

"He'll find out what it's about tomorrow night," added Noble. "He's been practising on the wing and a little bit of centre. We've already gathered that he can carry the ball pretty well so we need to get the ball to him as much as we can."

The Crusaders are close to completing their squad with three new signings in the pipeline, but Noble distanced himself on Thursday from speculation linking the club with a move for Gavin Henson.

Rhys Hansbury, 24, a full-back from Wests Tigers, has cleared red tape and is set to arrive around Easter while Noble confirmed the club are in talks with Ulster full-back Clinton Schifcofske and Penrith Panthers utility player Jarrod Sammut.

"We are getting frustratingly close," he said. "You have to be patient, but we're hopeful in a couple of weeks people will be over the line."

Crusaders have also been linked with Thomas's former Wales team-mate Henson, who is said to have fallen out of love with rugby union, but any deal does not appear imminent.

"I like Gavin Henson and I think he'd be great in rugby league," said Noble. "But I don't where that has come from, I've certainly made no inquiries."

Meanwhile, rugby league looks set to tighten its anti-doping laws after officials in Australia paved the way on Thursday for blood testing for human growth hormone (HGH) in the end-of-season Four Nations series.

An agreement has been struck between the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency (Asada) and the Rugby League Players' Association to begin blood testing for both HGH and EPO (erythropoietin) in the National Rugby League.

The issue of blood testing in rugby league came to the fore last month when former Great Britain hooker Terry Newton was handed a two-year ban after becoming the first athlete to return a positive test for HGH.

RFL chairman Richard Lewis called for blood testing to be extended to include the Four Nations and this week's landmark agreement is likely to prompt the International board to follow the lead of the NRL.

"While neither we nor Asada have any information to suggest these substances are being used in the NRL, the additional tests will provide an extra level of deterrent," said NRL chief executive David Gallop.