Super League table revised - no change for Leeds Rhinos and Castleford Tigers, but Wakefield Trinity climb a place and Catalans Dragons go top

The Rugby Football League (RFL) have acknowledged the possibility not all clubs will be able to complete the same number of matches before the regular season ends on the weekend of November 12/13.

Win percentage is calculated as the number of matches won by a club divided by the number of matches played, multiplied by 100.

If teams are level on points percentage, placings will be decided on points scored percentage - calculated by dividing the number of points scored by a club by the number of points it concedes and multiplying by 100.

If that fails to separate them, it will go down to the toss of a coin.

The change was announced today (Wednesday, September 9) and has been introduced with immediate effect.

Leeds Rhinos - who have had two matches postponed iin the past week - remain fifth, with Castleford Tigers still in sixth, but Wakefield Trinity have risen a place to ninth.

Catalans Dragons, who have three games in hand, are now top.

The top-four will contest the play-offs, as originally planned, but teams have to play a minimum of 15 matches to qualify - unless they end the regular season in the play-offs zone on competition points .

This could be amended by the RFL board is four or more clubs do not complete 15 matches.

Matches will now only be postponed if seven or more of a club’s top 25 players - on salary cap value - are unavailable for Covid-related reasons, including test and trace.

Clubs can still choose to play fixtures in these circumstances.

Extra dates on the calendar have been opened to fit in postponed matches.

These are September 17/20 (for clubs not in the Coral Challenge Cup quarter-finals), October 3 (for clubs not in the Coral Challenge Cup semi-finals), October 18/19 (for clubs not in the Coral Challenge Cup final) and November 1/2.

If the two clubs do not have the same additional match slot available, the fixture will not be rearranged.

The salary cap has also been adjusted for this season only.

Clubs can now play any player on their register - including players recalled from loan to other clubs - without impacting their salary cap, provided the player has a salary cap value of £30,000 or less;

If a player who has tested positive for Covid-19 is unable to return after the minimum isolation or return to play period, his salary cap value will be temporarily removed, allowing the club to sign a replacement.

RFL chairman Simon Johnson said: "As a board, we recognise the unique challenges this season has presented and the need for flexibility and creativity in response.

"It has been an immense logistical effort for all to get the Betfred Super League season up and running [and] we congratulate all involved, especially the players.

"We know that our supporters are enjoying the opportunity to follow regular Super League rugby, whether on Sky Sports, the BBC or the Our League app.

“Like other sports before us and doubtless others to come, we have to recognise that this is not going to be a normal season.

"A number of fixtures have already been postponed, affecting some clubs more than others, and we have to allow for the possibility of that pattern continuing.

“These decisions, regarding the rearrangement of fixtures, amendments to the salary cap and most significantly a new way of determining the league positions are a realistic and sensible response to those issues and we hope they will be welcomed by players, coaches, supporters and other stakeholders in that manner.

“The whole sport is doing everything in its power to deliver a Betfred Super League Grand Final later this year that will see the crowning of our 2020 Champions.”

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Laura Collins