Australian rugby league resumption hits snag

The perils of restarting professional sport after Covid-19 have been shown in Australia’s rugby league competition, with a match postponed two weeks into the re-started season over an indirect coronavirus case.

The NRL resumed from a two-month suspension for its third round of fixtures on May 28, with crowds allowed into stadiums from this weekend despite opposition from medical authorities.

But the move back towards normality suffered a setback when Sunday’s match between the Sydney Roosters and cross-town rivals the Canterbury Bulldogs was called off a few hours before kick-off.

The decision was taken because one of Bulldogs forward Aiden Tolman’s children attends a school where a staff member has tested positive for Covid-19. The school has closed until June 25, with students told to self-isolate.

The NRL said in a statement Tolman and all players and staff in Canterbury’s 50-person bubble would now be tested, with the match rescheduled for Monday evening pending test results.

The reigning champion Roosters, who feature England and Great Britain winger Ryan Hall, sit seventh in the 16-team competition with two wins from four games, while Canterbury are third-last.