Barrow chairman Michael Sunderland says officials of the governing body "should hang their heads in shame" after his club were forced to send a vastly under-strength team to Canada for Saturday's clash of the division's only two unbeaten clubs after visa issues meant they had to leave four players behind.

The accusation has been strenuously denied by the RFL, who say the Wolfpack undertake all visa applications at their own cost on behalf of visiting clubs.

Sunderland says Raiders coach Paul Crarey may have just 14 fit players for the game at the Lamport Stadium, after the visa issues came on top of injuries and unavailability caused by part-time players being unable to take time off from their day jobs for the four-day trip.

Martin Aspinwall, Dan Toal and Danny Morrow were unable to obtain visas in time to travel, while Jamie Dallimore was turned away at check-in as the team were preparing to board the flight.

Sunderland said: "The visa issue has had a major effect on us. We're a semi-professional club, we're all volunteers. We all have to work for a living and then do this on a night time.

"We perhaps left it a little bit late to apply for these visas but we were told they take two days. We applied for them last week and the majority of the guys got them. However, four of our top squad ended up with visa issues that could not be resolved in time.

"I think people need to be made aware of this. Clubs of our size need to be given full assistance. In my opinion, the RFL should have handled all the visas, the flights, the excessive baggage - there is no equipment supplied over there by Toronto so we have to take our own training kit.

"It's too much for these smaller clubs. We've had little or no help or advice from the RFL or anybody else."

Toronto, who operate a full-time squad, agreed to foot the bill for the travel and hotel costs of visiting clubs in their first year but Oxford experienced difficulties when they provided the opposition for the Wolfpack's inaugural home game, which drew a crowd of 6,281 earlier this month.

RFL chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer and fellow director Claire Morrow represented the governing body at that game but Sunderland says his club have been left to their own devices.

"We've got guys going over there playing in a foreign land and they don't know where they are going," he said. "There should be an RFL representative with every party that goes, not just the first one.

"We're only taking a squad of 16 I believe now and two of those have injuries. We won't be going again, not without any assistance.

"It's an absolute disgrace, I think the RFL should hang their heads in shame."

An RFL spokesperson insisted the governing body provides guidance to clubs planning trips to Canada and say it was in contact with Barrow for a number of months about their visit.

"Toronto Wolfpack undertake all visa applications at their own cost on behalf of visiting clubs through a highly reputable law firm," the spokesperson said.

"All Kingstone Press League 1 clubs visiting Canada are provided with support and information from both the Rugby Football League and Toronto clearly explaining what they are required to do in order for players to travel.

"We work hard to ensure that we provide support and advice to clubs at all levels of the game. We do not accept the suggestion that we have provided limited assistance to Barrow Raiders.

"We have provided clear and timely guidance and have been in contact with the club for a number of months answering any questions they have and informing them of what is required in order for players to travel to Canada.

"It is unfortunate that some of this guidance has not been followed and that as a consequence, players have been denied the opportunity to play in what promises to be a great game between the top two sides in the league."

Toronto have also been hit by visa difficulties but former Leeds prop Ryan Bailey and ex-New Zealand international Fuifui Moimoi have been granted clearance for Saturday's match after being forced to sit out the Oxford fixture.

Five more part-time clubs, Coventry, York, Hunslet, Hemel and Gloucestershire All Golds are due to visit the Lamport Stadium before the end of the regular season.