While Rugby League has been rocked by the withdrawal of Toronto Wolfpack from all remaining Super League and Coral Challenge Cup competition this year, the RFL has announced also that the Betfred Championship and League One seasons will not be resuming in 2020.
Three key decisions came out of Monday night's RFL board meeting.
1 -- There will be no relegation in 2020 from what is now an 11-team Super League without Toronto.
2 -- There will be no resumption of the Championship and League 1 seasons this year, this following a government announcement that it will be October at the earliest before crowds can return. Also, most clubs in each competition had made it clear in a survey that they didn't favour playing behind closed doors.
3 -- Clubs in Championship and League 1 will be INVITED to play in an autumn competition with a prize pot of £250,000. Participation will be voluntary and there will be a detailed application process in which clubs will be required to prove their ability to meet necessary protocols and medical standards.
Toronto, meanwhile, have said in a statement on their website that they will be standing down from remaining competition in Super League and the Coral Challenge Cup this year due to "a range of factors specific to the club as the only transatlantic team in the league."
Super League will resume behind closed doors on August 2 and Wolfpack were also scheduled to play Newcastle Thunder at Newcastle in the sixth round of the Challenge Cup on the weekend of September 22 and 23.
Ian Cheeseman: Forever Blue
Right Said Fred: Can Leicester repeat their fairytale 15/16 season?
New Mills' great escape
Hadfield St Andrew's deliver fixture booklets to 5,000 local homes ahead of new season
