Leeds Rhinos are Covid reserves for Super League Grand Final between Catalans Dragons and St Helens

But Rhinos coach Richard Agar admits he wouldn’t want Catalans Dragons or St Helens to be denied their place in Saturday’s Old Trafford showpiece.

Rhinos’ season ended when they were beaten 36-8 at St Helens in a play-off semi-final last Friday.

As the highest-ranked semi-final losers, Rhinos have been asked to remain ready to step in to save the title decider, if either of the finalists can’t play.

“We have got to get tested [on Tuesday],” Agar confirmed.

“We are on stand-by, but it’s only right the two teams who’ve earned the right to be in the Grand Final get to play there.”

Rhinos are not training and their off-season break will begin once both finalists have been given the all-clear.

Agar and his staff were meeting today to discuss plans for pre-season, which will start next month.

“There’s some rep’ games coming up and we will see who’s in those,” Agar said.

“I’d anticipate we will have some guys playing for England Knights or the full England squad.

“We haven’t any issues with overseas players going home and the overseas players we’ve signed are already in this country, so there’s no dramas there and we can get a good early start.

“We will have a look at dates, but it [the start of pre-season] will be in around six weeks.”

Two of Rhinos’ three signings are on the long-term casualty list.

Aidan Sezer, recruited from Huddersfield Giants, has not played since suffering an ankle injury on Combined Nations All Stars duty in June.

James Bentley’s season was ended by a neck problem sustained playing for St Helens against Catalans Dragons a month ago.

Agar said he expects Sezer to be in training from the start of pre-season.

Of Bentley, he added: “It doesn’t need surgery, we just have to make sure it has healed properly.

“I have got no concerns about either of them.”

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