Clubs have been advised they should bring players back to training three weeks before their first game, once the season gets underway again.
The recommendation was made from a player-welfare perspective to ensure the sport’s athletes are given the opportunity to undergo a form of pre-season conditioning ahead of the restart.
The news will significantly change some clubs’ plans.
Hull Kingston Rovers had not planned to go back until August 1st, but would have to return on July 13th at the latest ahead of their first game against Toronto Wolfpack on August 2nd.
Some coaches had suggested in a Super League coaches meeting several months back that they believed two weeks was a sufficient amount of time to prepare.
But others claimed a minimum of three weeks was needed to prepare players for the contact element of the game.
Several players approached by League Express said before the news that at least three weeks of preparation would be needed.
