LEIGH could be in Division One next season - almost three months after missing out on promotion by a whisker.

The Rugby League's decision to consider a return to two divisions in 1998 would put the side just one step away from Super League. They would certainly back such a move after missing an automatic promotion place on points difference behind Rochdale and Hunslet back in July. And Leigh officials feel they would be in any new, re-vamped Division One on merit.

The likelihood of existing clubs merging and positive moves to set up new franchises in areas like South Wales and Scotland has reopened the debate over the structure of the game. The RFL Council decided six weeks ago that any changes would not come into effect until 1999. But the newly-reconstituted board of directors have asked Super League clubs to examine the possibility of scrapping three divisions with immediate effect.

Some clubs are said to be unhappy about staging just 11 home Super League matches and that may persuade RL Europe to increase the number of teams to 14.

That could mean promotion for Division One runners-up Huddersfield and a place for a new club.

The League have targeted Scotland, the South West, Midlands, Dublin and North East as areas for expansion; soccer clubs Swansea, Hibernian and Partick Thistle are believed to have expressed an interest in hosting Super League.

There has been speculation that the ailing Paris club could be moved to Scotland with help from Australian club Hunter Mariners.

RFL chairman Sir Rodney Walker revealed that Barrow and Carlisle are to merge and play under the Barrow tag at Craven Park and two other teams are considering merging to form one club to make two divisions a logical step.

He added: "We are unsure as to the future of Oldham and there are one or two other teams thinking about their own future. I think we could reasonably move to a First Division with 17 or 18 teams."

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