Hudgell hoping for Government support

Hull KR chairman Neil Hudgell is hoping that the sport of rugby league will be supported financially through the coronavirus pandemic.

The game in the UK has been suspended since March 16, and no date is currently set on a return.

Karl Turner, Labour MP for East Hull, has written to the Chancellor twice to ask for support for rugby league clubs. He has even brought it up in the House of Commons.

“We had a meeting of Super League clubs yesterday to discuss a number of matters and there was an update from Ralph Rimmer at the RFL who has been doing the negotiating with the Government,” Hudgell told Hull KR TV.

“There is a funding request in there. But as you can imagine, there are a lot of funding requests from a raft of organisations across the whole country, so there is a huge number of priorities.

“We have some confidence that we have made a compelling case to support Rugby League. But clearly there can be no guarantees at this stage.

“Time wise, we are looking hopefully at the next week or two, and the basis of the request for funding is essentially on the fact that this is very much a northern sport, around its connections with communities and how it provides a lot of non-essential, non-working relief, pleasure and enjoyment.

“The sport is also something which is hugely supportive of peoples’ general mental health, so it’s not just a question of supporting sport, but has wider implications as well.”