CASTLEFORD have been awarded a 24-0 win following the cancellation of their Tuesday-night Super League clash at Huddersfield.
The Giants said they couldn’t field 17 players safely due to injuries and Covid-related issues within the squad.
But the number affected by the Covid-related issues was below the threshold of seven for a postponement under RFL guidelines.
As with Castleford’s withdrawal from their previous scheduled match which was awarded 24-0 to St Helens, the failure by Huddersfield to fulfil a fixture will be referred to the RFL’s compliance department as off-field misconduct.
The Giants had hoped the match would be rearranged.
Club managing director Richard Thewlis said: “Everyone knows how tough it is injury-wise at the moment and the positive (Covid) result and subsequent track and trace was a hammer blow to us all.
“It has now become simply impossible to field 17 players safely. This is not a decision taken lightly.”
Huddersfield are due to visit Wigan on Sunday while Castleford host Salford in their last game before the Challenge Cup final clash with St Helens at Wembley on Saturday week, July 17.