No Reserves in 2021

THE Reserves League will remain suspended until 2022 despite John Bastian calling for the governing bodies to perform a U-turn.

Reserve grade was suspended along with the rest of rugby league in March at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

But whereas Super League restarted in August and the academy game is aiming to get going again in the new year, an early decision was made to run without a reserves competition in 2021.

With dual-registration set to be scrapped, it leaves loan deals as the only avenue for fringe players looking for game time.

Bastian urged the Rugby Football League and Super League to consider a rethink, with Hull KR’S head of youth concerned that the door was being closed on a host of players.

But the Mail understands that the

Reserves League will return no earlier than 2022.

The decision was made by the RFL Board in July amid ongoing uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

A proposal was made for the competition to return next year but clubs made it clear that was a non-starter for financial reasons.

Super League clubs have been hit hard by the pandemic and running a reserves team was widely viewed as an expense too far.

Teams will have the option of arranging second-string friendlies to give their fringe players game time, while the academy and scholarship competitions have been extended to under-19s and under-17s respectively for one year only.

There is a commitment across the board for the Reserves League to return in 2022.