INTERNATIONAL rugby star John Devereux yesterday became the first player to sign a deal that will see him playing league in the summer and union in the winter.

The Widnes utility back, 30 next month and a dual Welsh international, has agreed a one year contract with an option for further years with Courage League One club side Sale, starting next season.

The move to summer of the rugby league season and the breakdown of the barriers between the two codes made the arrangement possible for Devereux, who put pen to paper for Sale at a news conference at the Heywood Road club yesterday.

Sale chief executive, Brian Wilkinson, said the deal was for 20 games, and predicted more rugby league players would follow in Devereux's footsteps in playing both union and league.

"This is an historic signing. I believe it is the first time a current rugby league player under contract is signing an agreements with a rugby union club to play for them in the off season," said Wilkinson.

"I believe it will be the first of many such deals, not just for Sale but for other rugby union clubs."

Devereux, who turned professional with Widnes from Bridgend in 1989, insisted there would be no problem playing rugby all year round.

"I've played at the top level in rugby league for 12 months of the year and you cannot get any better test of your ability than that said Devereux who, in the past, has played rugby league in Australia in the summer, then in Britain in winter.

Paul Turner, director of coaching at Sale, said: "I see John benefiting our side in all positions behind the scrum, not just on the wing where he is in rugby league these days. We see John as being a key member of our squad."

Wilkinson, on the question of Devereux playing so much rugby under the new arrangement, commented: "We are very conscious of the fact that players must not be overplayed.

"The Widnes rugby league contract takes precedence, and clearly we have a responsibility as a union club to make sure we do not send John back burned out.

"It would also be remiss of us to build a side of rugby league players that was able to put us in challenging positions, but at the end of the season have a vacuum that means we could not realise that challenge."

He said Sale were still having talks with first division Salford about the possibility of taking on David Young, another former Welsh union international, on a similar basis.