Fans return to rugby matches across Yorkshire next week as part of pilot event

Rugby League fans will return to the Betfred Super League in England on Wednesday September 30 after the Government granted permission for four fixtures to be staged as pilot events.

Attendances of 1,000 will be permitted at the games. Fixtures include Castleford Tigers versus Hull FC, Huddersfield Giants versus Hull KR, Leeds Rhinos versus Catalans Dragons and Wigan Warriors versus St Helens at the DW Stadium, which will also be broadcast live by Sky Sports.

Further details of the arrangements for all four fixtures will be provided by the relevant clubs.

Sports pilots are not able to take place in areas with high coronavirus incidence rates.

Nigel Huddleston MP, Sports Minister, said: 

He continued: "On top of the recent £16 million emergency support we have provided to safeguard the immediate future of the sport, I am pleased that we are working closely with the RFL to run a number of capped, covid secure, and socially distanced pilots during the remainder of September. This will help us continue to build the evidence base to assess how fans can return in greater numbers, as soon as it is safe to do so."

Robert Elstone, Executive Chairman, Super League said: “It is crucial that crowds are allowed back into Super League venues as soon as it is safe, so we welcome the Government’s decision to include our matches on September 30 in the programme of pilot events."

He added: