Reserves cancelled for rest of 2020 because of coronavirus

The Reserves League was reinstated for 2020 to strengthen the game’s talent and performance pathway.

But the RFL and the clubs have decided to cancel the rest of the campaign due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis "to focus on re-arranging postponed first team matches", said the game's governing body.

It is envisaged the competition will return next year.

Dave Rotheram, the RFL’s chief on-field officer, said: “We have had extensive discussions with clubs about how best to amend our schedules for the Reserves League, Academy Championship and Under-16s Scholarship in this unprecedented period, bearing in mind the three pillars of player welfare, competition integrity and financial sustainability.

“We have to recognise that the priority for clubs whenever activity can resume will be completing the first team season, and that is why we have cancelled the Reserves League for 2020.

“But equally, clubs are aware that they have invested in the return of Reserves, and made commitments to players, so we will be encouraging them to be imaginative in finding ways to provide competitive rugby for squad players, by arranging friendly fixtures which could involve pooling players between clubs, or even playing Nines matches or festivals.

“We will also need to be flexible in terms of resuming the Academy Championship for Under-18s, and the Under-16s Scholarship programme, and we have already spoken to Heads of Youth about some possible changes to the schedule.

“Public health remains the priority for the RFL and the sport, but we are also determined to ensure the game is ready to resume in the strongest possible way whenever that is appropriate, and the talented young players in our clubs’ Academies and scholarship programmes will have a big part to play in our future.”

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