THE British rugby league coach, Phil Larder is stunned that many of Australia's top players could be frozen out of action after the Australian Super League lost an important court hearing.

The verdict, which will effectively prevent the Rupert Murdoch backed breakaway competition from kicking off before the year 2000, could leave world-class stars like Bradley Clyde, Laurie Daley, Ricky Stuart and Allan Langer with an uncertain future.

The attempt to establish a new competition had been contested by the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and judge James Burchett's decision to support their view, threatens to prevent Super League from kicking off down under in 1996, even though the European Super League escaped a ban and it will start on schedule in Paris on March 29th.

National team coach Larder is dismayed at the ramifications of the ruling and said: It's almost unthinkable of these players being forced out of the game in such a way and I can't help feeling that some sort of compromise must be found so that they can be brought back into the sport.

Like everybody else in the European game, I am waiting for the next development."

Larder added: "We are already going to tour New Zealand at the end of the first summer season and if we can't play in Australia, then I expect they will add matches against South Sea island nations."

In the ruling from Sydney, judge Burchett granted 36 of the 37 orders sought by the ARL against Super League, effectively banning the rebel competition until the end of the 1999 season and his judgement stated: "Two premiership competitions are not sustainable."

The court also ruled that the rebel clubs' loyalty agreements signed with the ARL about a year ago were legally binding.

But when asked if the rebel clubs would be welcomed back by the ARL, chairman Ken Arthurson said: "There is no recrimination as far as we are concerned. I think when the smoke settles, common sense will prevail."

Arthurson said the ARL board would meet tomorrow and there could be a meeting of clubs on Wednesday to discuss the 1996 season, which has been delayed because of the legal wrangle.

But Murdoch's Australian subsidiary, News Limited, which backed Super League, have already said they will appeal against Burchett's original decision.

RFL spokesman Dave Callaghan has not ruled out the possibility that, the Super League World Club Championships, planned for September, will still take place.

That's not dead at this stage as there are a series of appeals planned by News Limited," said Callaghan.

And Canberra Raiders chief executive Kevin Neil confirmed that the eight rebel clubs that quit the ARL to join Super League would appeal.

Meanwhile, Rugby League Chief Executive Maurice Lindsay expressed relief that the European League had been left untouched in the judgement.

He believed that the decision to be legally represented at the hearing helped vindicate the European ease and said: "Our lawyers advised us that we came perilously close to the dangerous position of having European Super League stopped.

Thank Heaven we chose to be represented in court. Had we not done so, there was every likelihood that the judge might have granted, this obnoxious request in the absence of vigourous objections by the Rugby Football League.

"Clearly Super League in Australia has had the setback of not being able to commence but an appeal is to be heard quickly and we will be monitoring events.

For the moment we will devote all our attention to ensuring that the European Super League is a success from which international matters will, naturally develop."

Gus O'Donnell the former Wigan, St Helens and Britain under-21 half-back has been forced to quit rugby league after being struck by a kidney disease.

A fund has been launched to raise £8,000 to buy special medical equipment for 25-year-old O'Donnell.