THE start of Oldham RL Club's Betfred Championship season, scheduled for late February, has been put back to a later date because of ongoing Covid issues.

Championship and League 1 clubs put their respective starts on hold at their latest virtual meeting, with the Championship kick-off delayed for "several weeks" and League 1 clubs opting for a longer delay.

More details, including updates on the early rounds of the Challenge Cup, will be released over the weekend, with fixtures to follow.

Delayed starts will allow a staggered return to training, with Championship clubs back this weekend and League 1 clubs back in February.

Clubs in both divisions will have to satisfy the RFL that they can meet strict conditions on testing and biosecurity.

Initially, Championship clubs will be restricted to non-contact outdoor work, upgrading to contact training on February 1.

RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer said: "We have been grateful to our clubs throughout the last 10 months for their responsible and constructive approach to such a challenging period for all, and Wednesday’s meeting was another example of that.

“There remains a desire and determination, from the RFL as well as clubs, to get back on the field as soon as is safely possible.

"However there is also a recognition of the need to be responsible at this time.

“A staged return to pre-season training, after the short pause advised last week, followed by a staggered start to the Betfred Championship and League 1 seasons, represents the best way for us to combine this responsibility with other priorities of player welfare and the financial sustainability of our clubs."

Roughyeds have not played a game since March.