Rugby League-Leigh to enter Super League in 2021 after Wolfpack withdrawal
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(Reuters) – Leigh Centurions will play in the Super League next year after the unanimous decision of an independent panel which was imopressed by the club’s top-class players, stadium and passionate fans, the league announced on Monday.
The process to invite a 12th team to enter for the 2021 season began last month after the rejection of Toronto Wolfpack’s application to return to the competition following their withdrawal from the 2020 campaign.
Leigh Centurions have twice played in the Super League before, in 2005 and most recently in 2017.
British media said Leigh beat off competition from Toulouse Olympique, London Broncos, Bradford Bulls, York City Knights and Featherstone Rovers to take the final place in the top flight.
“Six weeks after Super League clubs chose to return to a 12-team format, we are delighted to welcome Leigh Centurions to our 2021 competition,” Super League executive chairman Robert Elstone said in a statement https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/1781/leigh-centurions-to-play-in-betfred-super-league-in-2021.
“The independent panel was impressed by Centurions’ application which scored highly on all published criteria, and it is a credit to everyone at the club that they were able to produce such a comprehensive submission in such a demanding timeframe.
“The club has a number of top-class players with Super League experience, a great stadium and a passionate and committed fan base, all of which will add to the 2021 competition.”
The 2021 Super League season will begin on March 11.
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)