Phil Clarke calls for ‘player lockdown’

Sky Sports pundit Phil Clarke believes stricter rules need to be implemented for players if the season has any chance of completion.

Wakefield became the latest team to return positive tests earlier this week, resulting in the postponement of their game against Leeds on Thursday.

They add to previous cases from Hull FC and Catalans, with track and trace analysis from the games also requiring other teams and players to self-isolate.

With just 12 weeks to go until the Grand Final and with the Challenge Cup not yet at the quarter-final stage, some clubs still have 15 Super League matches to play.

The inevitable fixture pile-up is a major cause for concern, with many believing the season will not be completed if there are any more positive tests in the coming weeks.

Because of this, former Wigan and Great Britain legend Clarke told Sky Sports News of a solution that would significantly increase the chances of all teams fulfilling the fixture list.

He said: “I think we need to go a little bit further than what the government guidelines are.

“I would like to see the game introduce stricter rules. Perhaps the players and staff are allowed to go to the training ground, to games and then home.

“That’s possibly the next step we need to go to, to try do all we possibly can to keep the game and the season alive.

“Realistically, we’re mitigating not eliminating the risk though. We have to be appreciative of that fact, people need to do a little bit more and I think that is what the game now should move to, that next level.”

Clarke’s comments come after Castleford head coach Daryl Powell called for more transparency on rugby league’s approach to monitoring and testing players.

“I think we have to be accountable and responsible,” Powell said in his pre-match press conference.

“The difficult thing is, the people who have tested positive, it is impossible to know what caused it.

I've seen some messages about players now being professional. Think people forget we as players have partners who go to work, children that go to schools, food shop anywhere it could be picked up. People need to realise that no one is to blame and it can be picked up anywhere

— Josh Griffin (@joshogriffo) August 12, 2020

“I think what they are doing at the moment helps, but clearly we need to get through this as a sport and make sure the games are being played and chalked off on a regular basis.

“We need to stop cases as quickly as possible but it is difficult.

“Maybe some more transparency on who has tested positive and making sure people are doing the right thing within their own organisation is something they might do.”