Dave Whelan, multi-millionaire owner of Wigan, admits that rugby league's most famous club are considering playing union.

The former Blackburn soccer player has repeated his threat to flirt with the rival code if Wigan fail in their efforts to force a relaxation of the salary cap.

From next season, Super League clubs will be subjected to a £1.8million spending limit on players wages, although Wigan have been given 12 months dispensation to go up to £2.3million because of existing long-term contracts.

Whelan and club chairman Maurice Lindsay argue that, by limiting the wages players can earn in rugby league, Super League clubs will lose out to cash-rich union outfits through market forces.

``Maurice and I do not agree with standards being brought down,'' Whelan told the Sunday Telegraph. ``It is our intention to keep Wigan at the top of the tree playing whatever game we can, whether it's rugby league or rugby union.

``We are here to look after the interests of the Wigan sporting people. We will do what's necessary. If we have to play rugby union and rugby league, we will.

``We're not going to let this club sink to the level of the bottom rugby league clubs and the Ford Premier. We're not allowing that. It's much better if we go and play the likes of Leicester and Saracens.''

Wigan are hoping to tie Great Britain full-back Kris Radlinski to a long-term deal and also hope to retain centre Paul Johnson, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

``We are worried,'' added Whelan. ``We have two players who have been approached in the last fortnight with rugby union contracts put under their noses.

``We have loyal boys here, they love the club. But they are professionals, it's their living, and you can't blame them for going. So we will have a fight to keep them.

``If they know that we are looking at rugby union, which we are seriously, and they can see a chance whereby they could pull a shirt on for England, who knows?''