Coronavirus: Fax and Championship clubs due to discuss situation on Tuesday as pressure mounts

The chances of Halifax’s Championship fixture against London at the Shay going ahead next Sunday seem increasingly minimal as rugby league comes under pressure to fall in line with other mainstream sports and suspend its activities in the light of the coronavirus pandemic.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Mar 2020, 12:37 BST

The vast majority of last weekend’s round of Challenge Cup and Super League fixtures went ahead as planned, with RFL officials sticking to the ‘government guidance’ line.

But with Toronto Wolfpack suspending their UK operations on Monday after a number of players were placed in isolation - and a packed house at Wheldon Road for Sunday’s televised Castleford versus St Helens fixture an incongruous sight in the current climate - it is hard to imagine the game avoiding the kind of fixture lockdown already in place in other sports.

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Super League was due to meet on Monday to discuss their next step, with Championship and League 1 clubs set for a telephone conference with RFL officials on Tuesday.

None of the options likely to be on the table - playing behind closed doors or suspending the season across the board - are likely to be financially palatable, given most clubs, especially those outside Super League, rely heavily on income from home fixtures to sustain their businesses.

“It’s an unprecendented situation, from a public health perspective and a rugby league perspective, and the game is facing some difficult choices,” said Fax’s football manager Ian Croad.

Related topics:Super LeagueCoronavirusHalifaxLondonRFL