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The Rugby Football League has attempted to distance itself from the Celtic Crusaders visa scandal that has led to six of the Welsh club's Australian players being deported three matches before the end of their disastrous debut season in the Super League.

The UK Border Agency concluded after an "intelligence-led investigation" that the six had been in the country illegally on working holiday or student visas which did not permit them to play professional sport when the Crusaders were building towards last year's successful application for a Super League licence.

The RFL has requested a copy of the agency's report and will also demand an explanation from the Crusaders before considering possible sanctions against the club. But the governing body has already issued a statement emphasising "that the awarding of visas is an issue between players and the UK Border Agency, not the RFL. The governing body would not refuse a player's registration if the UK Border Agency approved a player's status and the appropriate documentation was provided".

This is an attempt to dispel conspiracy theories that the RFL colluded with the Crusaders in their successful Super League bid. The governing body was aware that some of the Crusaders players were in the country on working-holiday visas, but this was not preferential treatment as several other clubs in the National Leagues exploited confusion over the regulations to field overseas players on a similar basis, until the loophole was closed by the Border Agency last autumn.

The RFL president, Chris Hamilton, summed up the anger of clubs who have been leapfrogged by the Crusaders in the past two years. "It leaves a very bitter taste," said Hamilton, who was appointed to the honorary role because of his work as chief executive of the Oldham club who were denied promotion from the Second Division by the Crusaders in 2007. "When you think that winning promotion enabled them to be in a position to apply for a Super League licence, if they had an unfair advantage of whatever shape or form, it rankles."

The Crusaders are continuing their planning for a second season in the Super League and have been linked with Adrian Purtill, a Canberra centre or full-back.

Bradford are considering whether to offer a contract to John Rudd, a former rugby union wing with Newcastle and Northampton who has been on trial with the club for a month and scored two tries in his latest reserve team appearance at the weekend.

(Source: Guardian.co.uk)