Keighley Cougars 60, Keighley Amateur Select XIII 12Second-row Dave Norcross crossed for a hat-trick of tries as Keighley Cougars opened their pre-season in style with a 60-12, 11-try romp against a Keighley Amateur Select XIII today.

Other tries came from Will Cartledge, Andy Shickell, Luke Sutton, Ben Sagar, Jon Presley, Karl Smith, Dave Emmott and James Hutchinson, a trialist from Wharfedale Rugby Union Club, Richard Knight kicking eight goals.

Cougars' player-coach Barry Eaton said: "It was a worthwhile exercise all round. We did the same last year and I would be delighted if it became a regular annual event.

"It was of benefit to everybody - ourselves, the local amateur scene and the fans, of which there were about 400."

Eaton added: "It also enabled us to allow our new signings to get a game under their belts.

"James Hutchinson was a trialist from Wharfedale Rugby Union Club and Jon Presley, who we signed from Sheffield Eagles, got 40 minutes at stand-off and scored a lovely try.

"We also gave Andy Shickell a run-out, as well as Dave Norcross, Will Cartledge, Danny Jones and Jermaine Wray.

"Unfortunately, Jermaine sprained his ankle after only three minutes but we don't believe the injury is serious."

Hookers Anthony McNulty and Quintin-Snaith scored tries for the Select team, who were mainly drawn from Keighley Albion and Keighley Town.

* There will be four new law interpretations for the 2008 season, which will come into force from Boxing Day.

If a ball is kicked at a 20-metre restart and bounces in the field of play before going into touch, a scrum will be awarded, with head and feed going to the kicking team.

At scrums, the loose forward will no longer able to trap the ball at the back of a scrum in order to catch the opposition offside.

The ball will be deemed to be out of the scrum when it has emerged from between and behind the inner feet of the second-row forwards.

Until the ball reaches this stage, the opposing scrum half must stand behind the back foot of his loose forward.

The offside interpretation is also changing, with all defenders having to ensure that they have both feet behind the referee's front foot, which will act as a guide to ten metres from the play the ball.

The final change should ensure there is no repeat of the penalty try that was awarded last year when the attacking team had the ball stolen over an opponents' try-line.

From next year such an offence will result in a penalty.