nfield fielding error and a walk set up Bumgarners slam in the sixth against Stites. Bumgarner earlier

In 1996, rugby league turned its back on 101 years of history to enter a momentous new Super League era. The new competition moved the action from winter to summer and kicked off with the meeting of Paris St Germain and Sheffield Eagles in front of 17,873 supporters at the Stade Sébastien Charléty.Freddie Banquet scored the first ever Super League try and Paris clinched a landmark victory thanks to a brace from Arnaud Cervello. Gary Hetherington was in charge of the Eagles on that famous night. Now chief executive of Leeds Rhinos, he admits there was some uncertainty about the direction the sport was taking in 1996 but the creation of Super League has provided provided more stability and structure. Players pose with the Super League trophy ahead of the inaugural 1996 season He told Sky Sports News HQ: It was an exciting time for the sport but it was also a really uncertain time. The Paris-Sheffield Eagles game set this competition alight. Nearly 18,000 people turned up, a wildly enthusiastic French crowd, and against the odds the Paris team won.Super League was a new competition, the sport had moved to the summer, the players had become full-time and there was more money in the game.But in many ways the sport was treading into the unknown. It was the first time ever that video referees had been employed and big screen decision were made.It was an innovative time for the sport and those 20 years have passed very quickly. There has been a lot of advances in the sport and we have now got a lot of stability and structure, and a platform to move forward. Gary Hetherington The improvement in facilities and standard of play have been the biggest changes over the past 20 years, says Hetherington.When we look back the original 12 clubs in Super League included teams like Workington and their stadium at Derwent Park. Halifax were at Thrum Hall, Oldham at the Watersheddings, Sheffield Eagles at Don Valley Stadium.All these stadiums are gone, as has the Central Park stadium Wigan played at and St Helens Knowsley Road, so there has been a complete transformation in the stadiums our supporters see games played in.That has probably been the most positive move forward but the move to summer has undoubtedly been a success, from the whole standard of play to players becoming full-time. Leeds Rhinos were victorious in Super Leagues 20th season The sport now enjoys more spectators and viewers on TV. There has been a big transformation both in the way the game is played and how it is seen by spectators, and all of those changes have been for the good.Of course, 20 years ago people were dreaming about Super League being played in Madrid and Barcelona and a whole range of European cities. That has never materialised and the Paris club only lasted two years, but they have been replaced by Catalans Dragons, who are one of the strongest clubs in the competition. It still has the French flavour about it.The creation of Super League 20 years ago brought a lot of uncertainty to the game. Established clubs like Widnes, Hull and Hull KR werent part of the competition but they are now.The traditional clubs very much make up the Super League and the Championship is a very vibrant competition, as well as the community game below that.There has been a lot of advances in the sport and we have now got a lot of stability and structure, and a platform to move forward. Watch 20 Years of Super League on Sky Sports 1 HD on Tuesday at 10.15pm Also See: Rugby League on Sky Fixtures and results Follow @SkySportsRL Pundits Fake Jerseys For Sale . 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According the CSNBayArea.com, the 31-year-old suffered an ACL injury in his right knee on Friday when he collided with Anaheims Emerson Etem during a pre-season game.SAN FRANCISCO -- Madison Bumgarner was so enthused by seeing Buster Posey hit a grand slam, he did the same thing the next inning. Bumgarner became the first pitcher in 48 years to hit two grand slams in a season, and Posey also hit a slam Sunday that boosted the San Francisco Giants over the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-4. "Everybody was excited to get a big hit like that," Bumgarner said of Posey. "That put us back in the lead. Thats what big-time players do and hes a good one already." Posey and Bumgarner became the first batterymates in major league history to hit grand slams in the same game. "Thats pretty cool," Bumgarner said. "This game is full of strange statistics. It seems like there is a first every day. Its crazy to get that many opportunities as a pitcher." A double by Bumgarner helped set up Poseys slam in the fifth. Bumgarner homered the next inning -- he also hit a slam on April 11 against Colorado. "All we could do was shake our heads," Posey said. "I was asking Rags (Dave Righetti) if any pitcher had ever hit two slams in the same season." The last pitcher to launch two slams in a season was Tony Cloninger, who hit both in the same game for Atlanta on July 3, 1966, against the Giants at Candlestick Park. Diamondbacks catcher Tuffy Gosewisch came out to talk to Matt Stites about how they were going to pitch to Bumgarner. "Everybody knows hes a good hitter," Gosewisch said. "I wanted to go first pitch fastball down and away and it just ran back over the plate." Bumgarner (10-7) threw 6 1-3 innings to end a personal three-game losing streak. He gave up four runs and 10 hits, striking out five. Vidal Nuno (0-1) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings during his second start with Arizona. The Giants finished the first half by winning five of nine. That followed a stretch of 18 losses in 23 games that cost them their lead in the NL West. "The challenge for us is to look at the overall record," Posey said. "Were still in a good spot. We have to go forward." Cody Ross hit a two-run homer for the Diamondbacks, who are 5-8 in their past 13 games. Martin Prado had three hits and droove in a run.dddddddddddd Nuno, acquired from the New York Yankees in a trade for Brandon McCarthy, had not allowed a run in his first 11 innings with the Diamondbacks before Poseys slam. Bumgarner escaped a perilous sixth because of some fancy defensive plays, including his own. Ender Inciarte and Prado each singled to start the inning. With Paul Goldschmidt batting, Bumgarner caught Inciarte taking off early for third for the first out. Right fielder Hunter Pence, who also threw out a runner at third in the first inning, tracked down Goldschmidts drive one step before slamming into the fence and third baseman Pablo Sandoval made a diving stop of Mark Trumbos sharp grounder to end the inning. Nuno breezed through the first four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. Bumgarners one-out double started the rally. Pence was hit by a pitch and Sandoval, who had three hits, singled ahead of Posey, who homered into the left-field bleachers. "I feel like weve been needing the big hit," Posey said. "Im just trying to get a run on the board. Getting four across was great." A double, an infield fielding error and a walk set up Bumgarners slam in the sixth against Stites. Bumgarner earlier victimized Jorge De La Rosa of the Rockies. "We had a good conversation about how we were going to attack Bumgarner," Stites said. "I just missed my spot. Hes been swinging it well all year." NOTES: Goldschmidt went 0 for 4 and had his career best streak of safely reaching base end at 32 games. ... Giants 1B Brandon Belt was a late scratch due to back tightness. ... INF Marco Scutaro was a little sore according to Giants manager Bruce Bochy and was given the day off. ... Posey has three career grand slams, including the post-season. ... Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said he was going to spend part of the All-Star Break watching his son play in the Cape Cod League. ... Ross homer gave him 501 RBIs for his career. . The Giants announced their rotation coming out of the All-Star Break, with Bumgarner opening Friday at the Miami Marlins, followed by RHP Tim Hudson, RHP Tim Lincecum, RHP Ryan Vogelsong and RHP Matt Cain. ' ' '