Challenge Cup holders Catalans may be unable to defend crown

Rugby league’s Challenge Cup holders Catalans Dragons may not be able to defend their crown in the 2019 tournament after refusing to pay a deposit of £500,000 to the sport’s governing body.

The Rugby Football League (RFL) have reportedly demanded ‘expansion’ sides Catalans, Toulouse and the Toronto Wolfpack put up the bond in order to compete in the sport’s showpiece cup tournament. The move comes after the Perpignan-based Super League side won the tournament in 2018, but attracted a record-low attendance for their Wembley final against the Warrington Wolves.

Dragons attracted record-low final attendance

Just over 50,000 spectators were in attendance for the Dragons’ historic 20-14 victory, the first time the Challenge Cup had been won by a non-English side in its 122-year history. That was the lowest post-World War II attendance for a final, with the RFL reportedly losing out on upwards of £800,000 in revenue due to low numbers of supporters travelling from the south of France.

Toulouse and Toronto have already confirmed they will not participate in the 2019 edition having refused to put up the cash bond, which would be held in the event of the sides involved reaching the final and used to secure against the loss of income for the governing body.

Catalans’ participation is still a question mark, with chairman Bernard Guasch stating that the club wants to participate in the “prestigious competition” in order to defend its title, but going on to say that it would be “irresponsible” to accept the decision of the RFL. The Dragons have reportedly asked the governing body to reconsider their position, but the two appear to be at a stalemate that may not have a positive resolution.

RFL: ‘Surprised and disappointed’ over issue

For its part, the RFL said in a statement: “We have been surprised and disappointed by the uncertainty over the Catalans Dragons’ participation in the 2019 Challenge Cup, which surfaced just before Christmas. We have been in discussions with the club since then, and will continue those discussions to search for a solution.”

Ironically, the 2019 Challenge Cup will see the participation of amateur side Red Star Belgrade, the sister club of the famous Serbian association football team of the same name. The club have been asked to make no such payments by the RFL.

Featured image credit: @DragonsOfficiel via Twitter