Rail Cup date for referee Hicks

RUGBY LEAGUE: ROBERT Hicks will referee Sunday’s Northern Rail Cup final between Batley and Widnes at Blackpool.

The Austerlands-based official (28) was handed his first Super League game last month when he took charge of the Leeds Rhinos v Crusaders RL clash.

Hicks, who started refereeing at the age of 15, had been running the line in top-flight matches for five years until he got his big break.