Crusaders half-back Jarrod Sammut has defied his club by opting to play for Malta ahead of their penultimate Super League game at Bradford on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Australian, who qualifies for Malta through heritage, was due to play for them against Norway on Friday in a European Shield match at Pembroke's Melita FC Stadium.

Sammut, who has signed to play for Bradford in 2012, has missed the Crusaders' last three matches through injury but was declared fit to play against the Bulls.

In a statement, the Wrexham club said: "Crusaders would like to confirm that they did not give him permission to play in this match.

"This week he was declared fit and ready to play in our match against Bradford Bulls this Sunday, an important game for us if we are to finish off the bottom of the Super League table, but he will now be unavailable to play for the Crusaders after choosing Malta over the club.

"Crusaders are supportive of international rugby league and our position is that, if this is an RLIF-sanctioned match, then we are obliged to release him.

"We have not had that official confirmation."

All the Crusaders' players will become free agents at the end of the season following the club's decision to withdraw from Super League, although Sammut had agreed his move to Bradford before last month's shock announcement.

The Wrexham club are currently next to bottom of the table and go to Wigan for their last Super League match next Friday.

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