English Rugby League chief Ralph Rimmer has conceded the chances of this year’s Ashes series now look remote.

Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos side are due to play three Tests in England in October and November in what would be the first Ashes series since 2003.

But with the NRL season resuming on Thursday and the grand final scheduled for October 25 – a week before the first match at Bolton is due to be played – Rimmer admits it will be difficult to re-arrange new fixtures dates.

“If I’m being honest it will be tough,” Rimmer told Sky Sports.

“We are speaking to the NRL on a regular basis but I think we all accept that in very difficult times some sacrifices have to be made.

“Hopefully I’ll have something to announce in the very near future. We have to be realistic and it is under some threat.”

Sport in the UK has been halted since the outbreak of the coronavirus but the Super League was the last sport to cease fixtures on March 15.

However, unlike soccer clubs in the Premier League, rugby league teams have not made any indications of getting back towards a season restart.

Super League CEO Robert Elstone said clubs were due to meet on Thursday to discuss a potential restart in August with three possible options on the table for a grand final date on either November 28, December 12 or mid-January.

“The situation is very fluid,” said Elstone.

“We want and need to start playing again soon. We need to get going again.

“In the fixture list we have prepared we have tried to back-date our schedule to play as many fixtures as possible towards the end of the season.

“We need to work through testing and see how the virus goes over the next few weeks and make our decision. We have built some time into our schedule to get our testing right.

“There is a meeting of clubs tomorrow to reflect on the options.”