The new company will include Carlson's Inspirations tour operator bought last year for pounds 42m as well as Thomas Cook's tour operators Sunworld Flying

The new company will include Carlson's Inspirations tour operator, bought last year for pounds 42m, as well as Thomas Cook's tour operators Sunworld, Flying Colours and Thomas Cook Holidays.The two groups will also link Thomas Cook's 14-strong fleet of Flying Colours aircraft with Carlson's 18-strong Caledonian Airways to form the UK's second-largest holiday airline behind Thomson's Britannia. Thomas Cook's worldwide operations, including its successful travellers' cheques unit, will also be part of the group.The new Thomas Cook will have around 18 per cent of the UK summer holiday market, just behind market leaders Thomson and Airtours. It will employ more than 20,000 people worldwide, including around 4,300 Carlson staff.Dr Johannes Ringel, the chairman of Thomas Cook, said the deal "would allow the company to strengthen our position in the UK and enhance our position in one of the world's largest industries".City analysts said the deal would give Thomas Cook the critical mass to compete with Thomson and Airtours "Travel is a high-volume, low-margin business. Anthony Sullivan who, as the winger outside him, has been the main beneficiary of his outstanding form, said: "Paul's a world class winger, who is important to me but also important for the whole team. He was "strongly advised" to keep his tackles down in future.The verdict came as a relief to St Helens, for whom Newlove has been back to his very best in recent weeks.

To be honest, having tasted champagne, who wants to go back to plain old fizzy plonk?PETER MARTINDALE,Bradley Stoke,Bristol.. A COMBINATION of his previous good character and evidence from his victim, James Lowes, has left Paul Newlove clear to play for St Helens in their elimination play-off at Halifax on Friday night. Surely, it was just what the money men behind the top English clubs wanted.Rugby has never been, and will never be, as high-profile as soccer, but this competition certainly raised awareness of the sport and was promising to bring crowds flooding through the turnstiles.Unfortunately, the intransigent club bosses have killed the goose that was capable of incubating the golden egg - and, whatever else follows, I wonder whether it will have the same impact or recover the same impetus.What we, the rugby-loving public, are left with is a shadow competition and a few domestic squabbles in the Allied Dunbar League. But, following the appearance of the Bradford hooker to speak on his behalf yesterday, a disciplinary hearing decided that the dismissal was sufficient punishment. Lowes apologised for "over-reacting" and the committee said that Newlove's impeccable record - he had not been sent off previously in 10 years as a professional - counted in his favour. Newlove was sent off near the end of Saints' victory over Bradford last Friday for a high tackle on Lowes. Even worse, he might insist that Leeds pay him compensation before he allows them to speak to himself, if you see what I mean.SUE DONATOCroydon. Sir, Amid all the speculation over who should replace George Graham as Leeds United manager, I find it peculiar that one name has not been mentioned.

Sir, What a shame that self-interest has ruined an incredibly exciting and potential mass appeal sporting event - I refer, of course, to the European rugby cup. Last year the battle between the best of England and France - Bath versus Brive - produced drama, exposure and patriotic fervour in equal measure. Maybe Arsenal and Spurs should change names - in two years' time they won't be recognisable from the teams of yesteryear.GARY JACOBSt Catherine's College,Oxford. Already a winner of one of this season's "manager of the month" awards, he has made an excellent start to his career in management and his team have quickly established themselves as promotion favourites. So why don't Leeds make their move for the manager of Brentford? Could it be that they fear the chairman and owner of Brentford (Mr Ron Noades) might refuse them permission to speak to their manager (Mr Ron Noades)? Or maybe Mr Noades (owner) might refuse to inform Mr Noades (manager) of the approach. What now of stylish Spurs? Which Arsenal team do their fans prefer?At a time when we question skill in the game, we applaud the work of Graham. Gone are the days when a long-ball functional team will win the Premiership - possibly Blackburn were the last. Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have changed this, and taken domestic football to another plane after the doldrums of the late Eighties and early Nineties. Vinnie Jones, while at Sheffield United, called it "the Rolls Royce of our [Sheffield United's] system'' - a glorified long ball game.Nothing Graham has done at Leeds suggests his brand of football has changed.

Graham won two championships at Arsenal, but we were continually taunted - particularly by Spurs supporters - about our style of football. The theme of many articles was his success at Arsenal and how Leeds were now a team capable of challenging for honours. As an Arsenal supporter myself, I question this. Sir, I have no sympathy with Paolo Di Canio's performance in pushing a referee. Anyone monitoring his temperament when he played for Celtic could have predicted that this would happen some day. But now that it has, I hope the hysteria regarding his possible punishment is put in perspective. Some hysterical observers have even called for a six-month ban or worse. Last season David Batty pushed a referee and received a six-match ban. The only difference now is that Mr Alcock lost his balance when Di Canio pushed him, and fell over.

That should make no difference to his sentence which, in the interests of justice, should be similar to Batty's. If the powers-that-be decree a much more severe punishment, they must then review the Batty incident.RAY SHAWPerry Barr,Birmingham. Sir, So at last the George Graham affair is over. Of course any player who strikes an opponent with hands and feet and then pushes the referee deserves hefty punishment.