Huddersfield clash with Wigan postponed, St Helens trip to Leeds in doubt

The Giants have reported seven positive tests, with other players deemed to be close contacts, which is enough for the Rugby Football League to order the closure of their training ground and call off the round nine fixture, which would have been their first at home in front of fans for 15 months.

Friday’s game at Headingley, which is due to be televised by Sky, may follow suit after the RFL announced the Rhinos are currently awaiting the result of a PCR test on one of their players which could rule out a number of others through test and trace analysis.

Despite having only 17 players available, Huddersfield were still keen to play the game but the decision was taken out of their hands.

They will now seek to rearrange the fixture, possibly on the weekend of the Challenge Cup final on July 16-18.

It is the first fixture of the 2021 Super League season to fall victim to the pandemic, which caused havoc in 2020 and prompted the RFL to rule that league positions would be determined by win percentages.

The amended format was maintained for this season and extended to both the Championship and League 1 with the likelihood of more fixtures being postponed and unable to be rearranged.

The Championship match between Halifax and Sheffield Eagles in May was postponed after two Eagles players returned positive tests and five more were forced to isolate under track and trace regulations.

Sunday’s Women’s Super League derby between St Helens and Wigan has been called off after a Saints players tested positive in the wake of Saturday’s Challenge Cup final victory over York and more than five of her team-mates were ordered to self-isolate for 10 days.