North Wales Crusaders appear to be teetering on the brink and many who are close to the sport believe they will fold.
The Crusaders pipped Workington Town to the League One title last season, but in the new style Championship this year have struggled.
Former Whitehaven player coach Carl Forster had left after the title success to join Bradford Bulls coaching team and his replacement Dean Muir lasted only six games, the last three of them defeats, before leaving.
Krisnan Inu was appointed last month and started with a big win over Whitehaven before two defeats and they are 14th in the current table.
But the club’s owners had announced recently that they were no longer able to fund the team and since Sunday’s defeat at Keighley, when two individuals paid the wages, the club’s social media posts have included links for supporters to donate to help pay players the wages they are owed.
Their first home game since the news of the ownership’s withdrawal should have come this weekend against Midlands in the First Round of the 1895 Cup.
But the Hurricanes have now revealed that game isn’t expected to go ahead, leaving question marks over Crusaders’ future in the competition, but more importantly in the game as a whole.
It appears Crusaders have forfeit this weekend’s cup tie and Midlands will receive a bye into the second round with a walkover win.
The Welsh side aren’t scheduled to play at home until May 31 when Salford RLFC are scheduled to make the short trip to Colwyn Bay, but Crusaders have three away games before then in the shape of Doncaster, Goole Vikings and Batley Bulldogs.
To add to the major concerns over unpaid players’ wages there have been allegations from fans that they have been left tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket by the company behind the ailing club, Egg Chaser.
Owned and operated by Arun Watkins and his father Bobby, Egg Chaser is a Surrey-based company that specialises in rugby union merchandise and rugby sevens coaching. The pair bought the Crusaders in December 2024.
Workington Town are not scheduled to play North Wales this season but the return game at Whitehaven is programmed for June 14.
