Leeds Rhinos facing possible 'sanction' over French no-show - RFL

Action could be taken against Leeds Rhinos for failing to fulfill their fixture at Catalans Dragons, Rugby Football League chief executive Ralph Rimmer has confirmed.
Ralph Rimmer. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.Ralph Rimmer. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.
Ralph Rimmer. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.

Leeds chose not to travel to Perpignan after a player showed symptoms of coronavirus.

He has now been cleared of carrying the virus and Rhinos will be in full training on Monday ahead of the visit of St Helens four days later.

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Rhinos and the RFL had agreed last Tuesday, against Catalans' wishes, the game in France would go ahead, behind closed doors.

The governing body did not approve Leeds' decision against making the trip and speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Rimmer confirmed: "Yes it [sanctions] is a possibility."

He insisted the RFL are following government guidelines and said: "We spoke with Leeds at some length this week on that particular issue.

"Leeds took a unilateral decision not to travel to that fixture so that will just follow due process now."

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Rhinos were due to travel via Barcelona, but with flights to and from Spain now disrupted, there is a question mark over whether they would have been able to get home.

Rimmer said the RFL board will "no doubt take into account all those different variables".

He added: "At this moment in time that goes through due process.

"The [RFL] board has been through a lot of landmark cases and this will be an interesting one.

"We are the governing body and we were asked to observe some directives from the government.

"We passed that information on to the club and they took a unilateral decision."