THE Bulls will not include any of their international players in the Boxing Day friendly with York at Odsal.

Gregg McNally and Dalton Grant return to Tong today to swell the numbers for the pre-season programme.

The pair had been given a late start because of their European Championship involvement with Ireland and Wales.

McNally’s Wolfhounds team-mate Ethan Ryan and Jamaica duo Ross Peltier and Jon Magrin teamed back up with the rest of the Bulls squad on Monday.

Kear said: “Those three came back early because they wanted to get a couple of days in before there is a compulsory return. Gregg and Dalton are in today.

“Obviously the rest have had a couple of weeks already building into this, so you can’t just throw them in.

“You start off with an introduction week, which is light, then a medium week, a heavy one and a very heavy one.

They’ll just be hitting their very heavy week when it’s just before Christmas. That’s why they won’t be considered at all for playing in the Boxing Day game.

“They’ll be sat out because they’ve just finished playing really. As will Olly Wilson, who’s obviously playing for England (Academy) for the next two weekends.”

The bulk of the Bulls squad are preparing to step it up again after working on their basic skills and aerobic exercises with weights.

“They are third week in, so they are just at the heavy stage,” added Kear. “They’ll have a couple of very heavies and then a lighter one the week before Boxing Day.

“That will obviously be the majority of the team that will be playing then.”