RFL ‘reinforce’ Salford Red Devils conditions as explanation on restrictions revealed

The Rugby Football League have reinforced to Salford Red Devils what conditions must be met in order for them to be freed from the salary cap restrictions imposed upon the Super League club.

Salford remain bound to a £1.2million sustainability cap after failing to provide the RFL with the necessary requirements to lift that restriction following their takeover last week.

Love Rugby League understands that is related to proof of funding which has yet to materialise, though the club’s new consortium are in the process of finalising arrangements and are hopeful the restrictions can be lifted in time for their first home game of the season next week.

And the RFL have now insisted that the conditions they require for those restrictions to be removed have still not been met: meaning that as it stands, Salford are limited as to who they can select to play in a competitive game.

In a statement, the governing body said: “The RFL have today (Friday) reinforced to Salford Red Devils the specific conditions which need to be met to allow the lifting of the salary cap restrictions that were imposed on the club in December as part of the conditions required for the advance in their central distribution.

“The necessary conditions for other subsequent steps have also been reconfirmed – the RFL ratification of a change in ownership at the club, involving the fit and proper persons test, and then potentially also for taking the club out of special measures.”

Salford have chosen to send their reserve side to St Helens on Saturday evening in an apparent protest against the governing body, in a game live on the BBC.

That decision was met with ire from Sky Sports’ Jon Wilkin on Thursday evening, who insisted the club had ‘thrown the teddies out’ with their decision.

He said: “I’d imagine Salford are trying to strong-arm the game into making a call. That’s exactly what it looks like. The optics of it are so poor, they’re really poor.

“They’ve spent more than they have had, they then needed a bailout from the game and now they’ve thrown the teddies out and picked a weak team for Round One.”

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