Bradford Bulls have been refused permission to play their Super League home game against St Helens on the same night as the World Club Challenge.

The Bulls want to switch the game from Sunday 24 February to avoid a clash with Bradford City’s appearance in the League Cup final at Wembley and felt they would draw a bigger crowd on the Friday.

The Rugby Football League turned down the club’s application to go up against Leeds Rhinos’ clash with Australian champions Melbourne Storm at Headingley and today they lost their appeal to the RFL’s board of directors.

“The World Club Challenge has always been a stand-alone fixture,” said an RFL spokesman.

“The board asked for more information from Bradford to support their appeal but nothing was forthcoming so they took a decision based on the information they already had.”