Super League restart moves step closer

Wigan's last game was against Salford on March 13

Club bosses will discuss finalising how the campaign will be structured.

The first full round of fixtures is expected to be on the weekend of August 14, though any ‘games in hand’ – Catalans have played three fewer than Wigan – will be played in advance in early August.

What has yet to be decided is when the season will finish, with November 28 and December 5 the likely dates for the Grand Final.

The first of those options would, on the surface, seem the sensible option as players’ contracts run until the end of November.

But by pushing the Grand Final back a week, it would allow Super League to squeeze in an extra two rounds earlier on, giving them a 24-round competition rather than 22. It was scheduled to be a 29-round competition before the campaign was halted.

Given how hard clubs have been hit financially by the coronavirus pandemic, playing 24 rounds holds an appeal especially if limited crowds are allowed back from September or October.

The situation with players’ expiring contracts is not thought to be a major stumbling block as short extensions could be arranged, and it would only impact on the two finalists.

The structure of the Challenge Cup competition also needs to be factored in, with a final – possibly still at Wembley – set to be staged at the end of October. Wigan have a tie with Warrington to play.

A decision on the play-offs, set to be cut to a top-four, and scrapping relegation are also expected to be made.

Adrian Lam’s Warriors were top of the table after seven rounds before the coronavirus crisis forced the season to be halted in mid-March.

Under the restart plan they will have either 17 or 19 regular season matches still to play.

The first batch of those are likely to be behind-closed-doors at a small pool of venues, thought to include Leeds’ Headingley, Warrington’s HJ Stadium and St Helens’ Totally Wicked Stadium.

The suggestion of scrapping the scrums until the end of the season – to reduce the risk of the spread of coronavirus in games – will also be discussed by club bosses ahead of next month’s RFL board meeting.