Luke Thompson: St Helens prop's Canterbury Bulldogs move brought forward

Luke Thompson had been due to join Canterbury Bulldogs in 2021

St Helens' England prop Luke Thompson has been sold to NRL side Canterbury Bulldogs for an undisclosed fee after failing to take a pay cut.

The 25-year-old, who had spent his entire career at his hometown club, was due to move at the end of the season.

Thompson spent 13 years at Saints and made his first team debut in 2013.

Saints chairman Eamonn McManus said Thompson had not taken part in a club-wide pay reduction caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"It was therefore agreed to be in everyone's best interests for the transfer to take place now rather than at the end of the season as originally planned," McManus said.

Thompson play 165 times for St Helens, helping them win the 2014 and 2019 Super Legaue Grand Finals, as well as being part of the side that lost the 2019 Challenge Cup final to Warrington.

He joins a Canterbury side that are 12th in the NRL, which resumed matches at the end of last month.