Halifax suspend coach after cup row

Halifax have suspended head coach Matt Calland after they were booted out of the Challenge Cup.

Fax were disqualified from this season’s competition for fielding prop Michael Ostick in their round four defeat of Swinton, after he had previously played for Rochdale against Lezignan in round three.

It resulted in their fifth round tie with Batley being hastily postponed. The Bulldogs will now face Swinton a week on Wednesday to decide who goes through to the quarter finals to play Catalans.

A club statement said that Calland had been suspended pending the outcome of an internal inquiry.

Halifax face Barrow in the Championship at The Shay on Sunday in a repeat of last season’s Grand Final.