Rugby league-NRL game delayed amid concerns of player COVID-19 exposure

The match had been due to kickoff at 4.05 pm (0605 GMT) but would now start at 7 p.m. on Monday. The NRL was the first professional sports league to resume in Australia after the coronavirus shutdown, with teams placed under strict health monitoring.

The National Rugby League (NRL) game between Canterbury and Sydney Roosters scheduled for later on Sunday has been postponed amid concerns one of the players may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus, the league has said. A child of one of the Canterbury players attended a school where a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 and while Australian Rugby League Chairman Peter V'landys said there was a "very remote risk of infection" he added that it was safer to delay the game until Monday.

"To ensure there is no risk at all, the player will be tested today and the game delayed until tomorrow to ensure the test results have returned," V'landys said in a statement. The match had been due to kickoff at 4.05 pm (0605 GMT) but would now start at 7 p.m. on Monday.

The NRL was the first professional sports league to resume in Australia after the coronavirus shutdown, with teams placed under strict health monitoring.