Could we be seeing another COVID affected Rugby League season?

Anyone who follows sport at the moment, is having to appreciate the sheer disruption that COVID can cause across the board.

In rugby league, we have already seen one postponement because of the virus. Batley and Dewsbury called off their friendly as a result of positive cases in both camps.

Meanwhile, in football, we have seen the programmes almost completely wiped out by the virus. For example, on Boxing Day, eight out of 10 matches in the Championship were called off. It was an equally bleak picture across the EFL.

Even in the darts, the World Championships have been affected by COVID. Three players, including three-time champion Michael van Gerwen, have been forced to pull out. It is becoming a worry as the tournament reaches it’s climax.

Last season saw rugby league affected by the Delta variant, with games across all three divisions suffering as a result.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that this virus can be unpredictable. But what could happen if the situation does not improve?

How rugby league was affected by COVID

Straight away, the RFL said all league’s would be determined by win percentage, which proved to be a good plan.

The amount of games that got called off, there would have been no way those games would have been able to fit back into an already crowded schedule.

If the situation does not improve, then we could well see points percentage enter play again.

With the World Cup coming up at the end of the year, there really isn’t the scope to mess around with the schedule too much.

Hopefully we can enjoy as normal a season as possible, without too much disruption. At the end of the year, we can also look forward to the World Cup, having had to wait an extra 12 months for it.

The event was due to take place in 2021, but was postponed after Australia and New Zealand refused to travel over.

Read More: Boxing Day Friendly Roundup: Only one game survives