Giants’ Super League return moving closer
HUDDERSFIELD Giants’ Super League return will move a step closer this week with the first meeting of a Restart Group which will look at ways to stage games behind closed doors.
The Claret and Gold haven’t played since their Challenge Cup defeat to Toronto Wolfpack on March 11, and their last league match was the 12-10 victory over defending champions St Helens.
But there is hope for a quick return to action, and with fans also being allowed into grounds before the end of the season.
The Restart Group - which is made up of RFL and Super League Europe executives - will look at operational, legal, marketing and media issues relating to a return to action for the clubs following the Covid-19 pandemic.
An RFL statement said: “As with the other stages, key factors will be protecting the welfare of everyone involved, and implementing the recommendations of the Clinical Advisory Group: making sure you have social distancing where you can - and where you can’t, you have appropriate risk planning.
“We anticipate that the Restart Group will also consider stages four - cross-border matches - and five, getting crowds back in our stadia. The same applies to the Championship and League 1 Working Groups.”
Three models have been presented for a restart of Super League, with possible dates for the Grand Final on either November 28, December 12 or in midJanuary. The standings would be determined based on 22, 24, or 28 games respectively.
It is understood the most ambitious of the plans, the third option with the January Grand Final date, is no longer under active consideration by the 12 Super League clubs.
While teams in rugby union’s Gallagher Premiership have been given the green light to return to non-contact training in a bid to restart their season on August 15, Super League teams are yet to return to training - and Giants players are still on furlough like much of the league.
“Key issues include sanitised environments, cleaning venues, social distancing where it’s required, appropriate testing for players and monitoring any symptoms and protocol if we do have any positive results,” the RFL statement said.
“It’s important we consult with our stakeholders - such as clubs and players - to make sure we have buy-in on how it works.
“Our expectation is we’ll circulate final drafts early this week and subject to any feedback, they will go to the RFL Board for approval.
“It will then be up to clubs to decide when they want to return to train and having all the systems in place to make sure they can do so.”
The league has also set a target of playing in front of fans again as soon as October.