POOLE Pirates promoter Danny Ford remains “incredibly keen” to find time for the delayed Jubilee League final, but admitted: “Everyone is prioritising this year’s fixtures ahead of that one.”

Due to poor weather at the end of last season, the 2022 Championship Jubilee League showpiece between Pirates and Leicester Lions was postponed on multiple occasions and eventually pushed back, to be run this year instead. Glasgow Tigers had also been due to take part in a three-team final, but they withdrew from the competition.

At the end of last season, it was announced the fixture would be run “next spring”.

Stipulations were agreed whereby Leicester, now a Premiership club, would build a team to Championship average standard, to compete with Poole.

That situation is further complicated by the fact Richard Lawson now rides as a heat leader for both clubs.

New dates were set for the two-legged affair to happen in May, but Leicester pulled the plug due to fixture congestion at Beaumont Park.

Pirates have just one more fixture scheduled in their calendar, away at Edinburgh Monarchs to round-off their regular Championship campaign tomorrow (7.30pm).

They will then head into the play-offs, looking to retain their league title for a third year in a row.

Poole have already won the BSN Series this year and are in the Knockout Cup final. But they are still awaiting confirmation of their opponent, with Redcar Bears and Scunthorpe Scorpions yet to start their semi-final tie.

Ford has always maintained his insistence of wanting to find time to fit in the Jubilee League final against Leicester, keen to add another trophy to the Poole cabinet.

Asked what the latest situation was with the final, Ford told the Daily Echo: “I don’t know. To be honest, our main focus at the minute is to get this year done and dusted. That’s the priority.

“We still are incredibly keen to get that fixture done. Leicester and all the other teams in the Premiership have been really struggling with fixtures again this year.

“It’s not something we can control. We’ve offered dates, but unfortunately haven’t been able to because of the amount of rain-offs they’ve had.

“Everyone is prioritising this year’s fixtures ahead of that one.

“We are keen to get it done and once I do have more news, I will report it.”