Nathan Brown, the Huddersfield Giants coach, admitted that rape allegations hanging over six of his squad had severely affected the club’s pre-season preparations in Newcastle, where a 22-year-old woman claimed that she was attacked.

“We have got to stick together and push through as best as we can,” Brown said. “We had hoped to come up to Newcastle for four days of quality work. As you can imagine, that has been very difficult.”

The squad returned to Huddersfield last night, including the six players arrested on Tuesday and subsequently bailed until March 18 while Northumbria Police continue their investigation.

The club, who are conducting their own inquiry, are not identifying the six players but have confirmed that they are available for selection for Huddersfield’s remaining pre-season games away to Barrow on Sunday and at Castleford Tigers on Tuesday.

Crusaders confirmed that Gareth Raynor, 31, the former Great Britain wing, has become the third Hull player to join the Wrexham club after Jamie Thackray and Tommy Lee. Raynor, who has scored 101 tries in 189 engage Super League appearances for Hull and Leeds Rhinos, was released last month by Hull, with a year left on his deal.

The Welsh club have not given details of the length of his contract, because of his appearance in court in April with his partner, Catriona Thompson, on 14 counts of counterfeiting and fraud relating to the trading of ink cartridges on eBay and copying of computer games.

St Helens will field 11 of their beaten 2009 Grand Final side in tonight’s testimonial match against Halifax at Knowsley Road for Mike Bennett, the former Saints forward whose career was ended by a shoulder injury.