Breaking: All rugby league suspended until early April

Most of last weekend’s games went ahead as planned at the weekend, but after today’s warning against mass gatherings, the RFL and Super League have pulled the plug on the sport at all levels until at least next month.

It applies to all competitions, including the women’s and community games.

“These are unprecedented times, and they present significant financial and commercial implications for rugby league, which will be further considered during the period of suspension,” said the joint statement from Robert Elstone, the executive chairman of Super League Europe, and Ralph Rimmer, CEO of RFL.

“Super League is also an international competition, and consideration has to be given to our clubs in Canada and France, particularly around travel restrictions and scheduling fixtures.

“Player welfare and maintaining the integrity of the competition are key concerns moving forward. Equally our responsibilities to rugby league communities remain front of mind for all of us.

“The whole country is facing major challenges - and the support of our fans, partners and stakeholders is needed now more than ever before.”

Attention will now turn to how the game as a whole - and particularly the clubs outside the top flight that rely on matchday income to sustain their businesses - will deal with the financial implications of putting the sport on ice for what seems likely to be an extended period of time.

St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus said the “very existence of the sport” was in danger if the government did not offer financial support to clubs during any postponement to the season.

“The government has to look at a degree of support for our sport. There’s huge financial implications - the very existence of our sport is on the line,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“We’re different to soccer, probably different to rugby union. We’re at the beginning of our season. This is open-ended both in time and terms of quantum. No-one knows the full extent of it.”