Rugby League Coaching Manuals

Sporting Life - The Rugby Football League have confirmed that Rochdale Hornets will start their Co-operative Championship One season on minus nine points as a result of going into administration.

Hornets, who kick off their campaign at Workington on Sunday week, went into administration in January in order to fight off a winding-up petition brought by the Inland Revenue.

The club were re-formed under new owners but have been punished for breaching the RFL's insolvency regulations.

Hornets will take heart from the efforts of Widnes Vikings, who overcame a nine-point deficit in 2008 to reach the National League One play-offs.

Two promotion places will be up for grabs in Championship One. The table-toppers will go up automatically and the other place will go to the winners of the play-offs.

The League have also confirmed that the bottom two clubs in the Championship will be relegated, with the exception of Toulouse who are exempt from relegation.

If Toulouse finish in either 10th or 11th place, then the club finishing ninth will be relegated in their place.