‘Minor’ Cup date with Leinster set to be moved

Sunday’s Championship game against Plymouth Albion was reduced to uncontested scrums after problems in the first union outing since its £1m re-fit.

Carnegie had already gone ‘on the road’ for three months while the surface was installed and chief executive Gary Hetherington says the British & Irish Cup clash with Leinster A on January 19 could be switched too.

“It’s only a minor fixture,” he told the Yorkshire Post, with Leeds having no chance of progressing from the pool stages.

“It’s Leinster’s development team and we’ll be putting out a development side too.

“It’s five weeks until our next Championship game at Headingley Carnegie against Newcastle Falcons and the pitch will be okay by then.

“It might even be alright in two weeks’ time and we’re just discussing the options.

“Both coaches felt the referee was a little hasty on Sunday making the decision he did but there’s no doubt the surface did come up. However, that was only when they were scrummaging and the ground staff half expected that to happen as ideally the pitch could have done with longer.”

Hetherington maintained Leeds Rhinos’ opening Super League fixture against Hull FC on February 1 will not be affected as it was purely a union scrum issue.