A RUGBY divide which seemed to be nearing unity is still -- financially -- canyons apart.

Now Leigh's sports fan MP Andy Burnham says rugby league deserves a fairer slice of the Lottery cake.

This week Mr Burnham called on Sport England to take action after figures revealed league clubs have received less than a third of the amount of Lottery money awarded to their 15-a-side counterparts -- current scoreline league £12.5m, union £38m.

Applications from union clubs have also fared better -- with a 50-50 success rate, whereas 62pc of league clubs have been turned down.

Mr Burnham said: "I don't begrudge union clubs getting funding. Many do a great job in the community -- including Leigh RUFC who deserve Lottery funding but have so far failed to get it.

"But these figures will confirm what many people in grassroots rugby league have long suspected -- that they are not getting a fair slice of the Lottery cake."

The local MP has called on Sport England to consider specific measures to redress the balance including: encouraging more league clubs to apply; more help for those that do; and ring-fencing funding for grassroots league.

Mr Burnham added: "League clubs may not be as good at producing glossy applications but their need for support is as great if not greater. They are often based in the country's more deprived communities and former coalfields."

Jim Hoffman, chairman of Leigh East said judging from his experience it was difficult to attract funding unless a major community based project was being developed, although he believes rugby league clubs are now more aware of lottery money available.

Mr Hoffman said: "There's a lot of red tape involved in applying. It's ridiculous."

Kevin West, secretary of Leigh Sportsmans Harriers said there was definately a bias in favour of rugby union.

Mr West said: "We recently tried to get funding from the Sports Council and basically we just hit a brick wall."

He added that he thought there was little chance of the Harriers getting funding unless it grew to at least the same size of either Leigh East and Leigh Miners.