Record crowds and an exhilarating start to the Engage Super League season were overshadowed by the arrest yesterday of five unnamed Catalans Dragons players after an alleged brawl in Leeds that left two men with head injuries.

The five remained in custody as the rest of the Catalans squad returned to Perpignan after Sunday’s opening-round defeat by Wakefield Wildcats but have since been released on police bail. They were questioned after a disturbance captured on CCTV at 2.15am in an area known for its nightclubs. In addition to the players, police arrested four other men. The club said that they were co-operating with the police inquiry.

The arrests follow those three weeks ago of six Huddersfield Giants players, who are on police bail after an allegation of rape during a pre-season training camp in Newcastle.

A record 78,090 spectators attended the first full round of matches, which featured defeats for Leeds Rhinos and St Helens, grand finalists in the past three years, while many of the smaller clubs have welcomed an agreement that will keep the competition at 14 clubs, rather than being cut to 12.

Despite support among some clubs for a reduction when the next three-year licences start in 2012, club representatives at a meeting with RFL officials yesterday agreed on continuation with a 14-team league, at least until the licences come up for renewal again in 2014.

For Wakefield, Castleford Tigers and Salford City Reds, who have all been struggling to fulfil pledges to move to new stadiums, it is another reprieve. The next set of licenceholders will be announced in the spring of next year and, so far, three Co-operative Championship clubs — Widnes Vikings, Barrow and Halifax — have earned the right to seek the one guaranteed promotion place.

Rémi Casty, of Catalans, Andy Raleigh, of Huddersfield, and Ryan Esders, of Harlequins, are due to appear before the League’s disciplinary committee today, accused of foul play. Chris Riley, who scored five tries in Warrington’s 58-0 win over Harlequins, was warned for tripping.