Super League referee Richard Silverwood has been suspended pending an investigation into an alleged leak of confidential information.

He has been stood down while the Rugby Football League look into a report that the trade union Prospect received personal details of match officials.

"The RFL can confirm that Richard Silverwood has been suspended pending an investigation," read a statement.

Silverwood did not officiate last weekend because of a knee injury.

The decision comes less than a month after the game's top referee, Ashley Klein, quit the English game to return to Australia, leaving the RFL with just five full-time referees to officiate in the seven weekly Super League fixtures.

One of the vacancies was filled recently with the full-time appointment of French referee Thierry Alibert.

Last weekend the RFL used two part-time referees, Jamie Leahy and Gareth Hewer in Super League, but this weekend the League is able to call on Australian Jason Robinson, who is over to prepare for the Carnegie World Club Challenge on 1 March.

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