Super League has been forced into rescheduling its fixture list at short notice for the second consecutive round, after Catalans Dragons were forced to withdraw from this weekend’s fixtures because three of their players and another member of their staff have tested positive for Covid-19.
Of the players who have tested positive at Catalans, two featured in Saturday’s Challenge Cup victory against Wakefield Trinity. Test and trace analysis has shown that two of the Wakefield players will also be required to self-isolate: but their fixture against Warrington Wolves this weekend is expected to go ahead as things stand.
The Dragons, however, will not play Wigan as planned on Saturday, meaning the competition has once again had to move its fixtures around, a fortnight on from Hull FC and Salford standing down from their fixtures because of a series of positive tests at Hull.
Wigan will instead play Castleford on Saturday, in a fixture which had been due to be played later in the season. The Tigers were originally set to have the week off but all clubs with a bye were instructed to be on standby in case of such an eventuality occurring. All other fixtures this weekend, as things stand, remain unaffected.
The news that Super League has now been forced into a reschedule for the second successive round of fixtures will be concerning for those within the sport. The competition has the luxury of being able to play a number of games that are scheduled for later in the season as present, something which will become less of an option as the season rolls on.
With the sport reliant on the multimillion-pound deal with the host broadcaster Sky Sports, the prospect of curtailing the season earlier than planned if repeated positive tests occur later in the season could leave clubs being forced to repay television money, which would leave many facing an uncertain future.
