NEWCASTLE THUNDER TOULOUSE TRIP TO BE RESCHEDULED

STATEMENT FROM THE RFL

In announcing the reopening of foreign travel from May 17, the UK Government confirmed that France would stay in the amber category – meaning travel to France is not recommended, and must be followed by a 10-day period of self-isolation (which can be reduced to 5 by PCR tests). 

The RFL understand this will be the case for at least another three weeks, which is the date of the next Government travel review. This means Toulouse’s home Betfred Championship fixtures against Swinton Lions and Newcastle Thunder will not take place as scheduled, on May 22 and May 29 respectively. 

As agreed before the start of the season for this contingency, the home match against Swinton has been switched to Heywood Road (Swinton’s home ground), as this was the only scheduled meeting of the teams this season – Swinton were not due to play Toulouse at home, as a result of the reduction in the fixture list required by the delayed start to the season. (the same occurred with Toulouse’s home game against Widnes, which was scheduled for May 8) 

 The Toulouse v Newcastle fixture has been postponed, to be played at a later date if possible. It is the second Toulouse home game to have been postponed for this reason, following the Toulouse v Featherstone Rovers fixture which was scheduled for May 1. 

 One of the two potential dates for rearranged matches in Toulouse, the weekend of June 5-6, has now been ruled out with France on the amber list for three weeks from May 17. That leaves the weekend of July 17-18 as the first – and only – available slot for rearranged Toulouse home fixtures. 

 At this stage the Featherstone game would be rearranged for that weekend, should France be reclassified as a green list country – unless Featherstone reach the Final of the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup, in which case the Newcastle fixture would be rearranged.

Further information will be communicated in due course.