Rugby Football League chief executive Ralph Rimmer has defended his handling of the Challenge Cup dispute with holders Catalans Dragons, insisting it was not a public relations disaster.

The French club made history in 2018 by becoming the first overseas outfit to win the prestigious knockout competition and, on the back of their triumph, will play a Super League fixture against Wigan at Barcelona's Nou Camp in May.

But the Catalans' participation in the Challenge Cup in 2019 was thrown into serious doubt when chairman Bernard Guasch refused to commit to a £500,000 bond in the event of them reaching Wembley again and RFL experiencing another financial shortfall as a result of a second successive low crowd for the final.

A week of negotiations resulted in a compromise, enabling the governing body to save face, and Rimmer says he is delighted with the outcome.

"The details of the compromise are commercially sensitive but Bernard has been really good," Rimmer said at a media briefing during the launch of the new season in York.

"It was a tense situation but I give great credit to them. I don't think it was a PR disaster; we launched the cup yesterday, we've a new sponsor and the reigning champions are included."

Asked if the RFL would adopt a different strategy in the future to avoid a repeat of the potentially embarrassing situation, Rimmer insists he would always take a holistic view of the game.

"We'll review everything for next year but in the end, the governing body has a responsibility to its member clubs," he said.

"We're protecting the game and Catalans have been very supportive. We'll be reviewing everything over the summer and we'll put things in place for next year."

In the meantime, Rimmer insists there will be no cup reprieve for Toronto Wolfpack, who opted not to take part this year after being told of the financial implications.

Toronto chairman David Argyle and director of rugby Brian Noble, who were both at the launch, spoke of their renewed desire to take part but Rimmer said: "No. It's really straightforward.

"They know what the situation is and there's been no further discussions - so the competition is as you see it.

"All the structures have been worked out for the cup and they're aware of that."

Tuesday's launch was attended by Championship and League One clubs only, with Super League holding a separate launch at Old Trafford on Thursday, but Rimmer insists he has a good working relationship with his Super League counterpart Robert Elstone.

"In the end, we're the governing body of the entire sport - including Super League - and we want to celebrate everything in the game," he said.

"We've got a positive relationship with Robert, I meet with him once a week and we're regularly communicating about each others' business. That's the way it should be."