THE RUGBY league star Va'aiga Tuigamala is set to make his Courage League debut opposite Wigan team-mates Henry Paul and Jason Robinson.

The former All Black winger was yesterday given the go-ahead to launch his rugby union comeback with Wasps after the British Department for Education and Employment relented and granted him a work permit.

Tigamala will turn out for Wigan in the Premiership final at Old Trafford on Sunday and is being pencilled in to make his Wasps bow against Bath at The Recreation Ground on Saturday week when New Zealand international Paul and Britain winger Robinson are due to make their debuts for the champions.

"It's a great boost for us," said Wasps director of rugby Nigel Melville. "Everybody is delighted. The players are looking forward to working with him, but he's a very professional player and he can teach them a lot."

Wasps had threatened legal action after the Department for Education and Employment turned down their initial application on the grounds that the 26-year-old New Zealander had not met the criteria of playing international rugby in the last 18 months.

His last match for the All Blacks - before his £400,000 move to Wigan - was in 1993.

However, following legal moves by Wasps, the Department for Education and Employment advised the Rugby Football Union yesterday that they were prepared to offer Tuigamala the opportunity to play for the London club.

A spokesman for the RFU said: "We are pleased to support the Department of Education and. Employment on this exceptional case. Tuigamala has demonstrated that he has been a truly outstanding rugby union player and is currently at international standard in rugby league."

Tuigamala joins fellow newcomers Alex King (Bristol University). Chris Sheasby (Harlequins), Damian Cronin (Bourges), Gareth Rees (Newport) and Mike Griffiths (Cardiff) at the London club, who play their first home match of the season against Saracens at QPR's Loft us Road on Sunday.