Amateur rugby league clubs could be returning to action in the autumn as the Rugby Football League began looking into how it would restart the community game.

The season has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with whatever training that has been possible limited to non-contact and with social distancing measures observed during fitness work.

However, steps towards the amateur game’s return are set to gather pace with the Government set to ratify the ‘Action Plan’ that was drawn up by the RFL last month.

This would come as great news to community clubs in the area, which includes Walney Central, Barrow Island, Hindpool Tigers, Roose Pioneers, Ulverston, Dalton, Askam and Millom, who were fearing the rest of their season would be lost to the Covid-19 outbreak.

There will be some changes, however, as there is insufficient time to complete campaigns in competitions such as the National Conference League and North West Men’s League.

As such, the focus will be on supporting clubs with localised friendly fixtures in the autumn before starting up competitive games again next year.

Subject to approval, non-contact larger group training will be permitted at amateur clubs from next week and a review into whether a return to contact training could be phased back in will take place at the end of the month.

Further down the line, matches could possibly start taking place in October, albeit with rule amendments, such as no scrums and the implementation of the ‘six again’ law.

The last games of 2020 would be played on November 28, with local and national cup competitions possibly getting under way from January 2021 ahead of the return of the league structure in March.