New Challenge Cup format : Tue Jun 25, 2024 4:39 pm  

https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62 ... up-in-2025

https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62 ... up-in-2025

Re: New Challenge Cup format : Tue Jun 25, 2024 4:50 pm  

I think its a good move - group stages would have been a disaster. Theres no silver bullet to save the cup but I think the most helpful step would be to find a way of incorporating the cup into the season ticket. Right now the clubs can't afford steps like that.

Re: New Challenge Cup format : Tue Jun 25, 2024 5:41 pm  

Love the idea. We could get Saints in the 3rd round while Keighley tackle Hunslet. Great incentive for the lower league clubs now to go deep into the tournament. What we don't want however is a super league club against a lower league side at Wembley. Great for a story but would be a terrible one sided advert. At least Saints can accuse the draw of being rigged when we draw Workington.

Re: New Challenge Cup format : Thu Jun 27, 2024 6:15 am  

Cherry_Warrior wrote:

Love the idea. We could get Saints in the 3rd round while Keighley tackle Hunslet.

Only if Saints get relegated and Keighley or Hunslet replace them in superleague.

"It means that clubs from the Betfred Championship, League One and even the community game will have more chance to secure a glamour tie at home to Super League opposition, as the Third Round draw will be seeded to guarantee each of the Super League clubs travel away to one of the 20 Second Round winners."

Re: New Challenge Cup format : Thu Jun 27, 2024 11:02 am  

muttywhitedog wrote:

Only if Saints get relegated and Keighley or Hunslet replace them in superleague.

"It means that clubs from the Betfred Championship, League One and even the community game will have more chance to secure a glamour tie at home to Super League opposition, as the Third Round draw will be seeded to guarantee each of the Super League clubs travel away to one of the 20 Second Round winners."

Ohhhh yes. 4th round then

Re: New Challenge Cup format : Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:04 pm  

muttywhitedog wrote:

Only if Saints get relegated and Keighley or Hunslet replace them in superleague.

"It means that clubs from the Betfred Championship, League One and even the community game will have more chance to secure a glamour tie at home to Super League opposition, as the Third Round draw will be seeded to guarantee each of the Super League clubs travel away to one of the 20 Second Round winners."

Maybe it was a different article but the way I read it was "If a Super League clubs draws a lower league team, they will play away," not a guarantee that they will play a lower team.

Re: New Challenge Cup format : Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:55 pm  

nathan_rugby wrote:

Maybe it was a different article but the way I read it was "If a Super League clubs draws a lower league team, they will play away," not a guarantee that they will play a lower team.

I read it like that too. This is RL in a nutshell, launching a new concept and us as fans still don't know the full details

Also the extra game is due to be played in Feb I believe. SL clubs will just use this as a replacement for a pre-season friendly so will probably rest their big guns. May not be the money spinner crowd as first envisaged if its an Academy/Reserve team playing.

Re: New Challenge Cup format : Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:56 pm  

nathan_rugby wrote:

Maybe it was a different article but the way I read it was "If a Super League clubs draws a lower league team, they will play away," not a guarantee that they will play a lower team.

Not sure how you would get 20 into 12 as well, it would be unfair to potentially load it that way, but this is the RFL so who knows

Re: New Challenge Cup format : Thu Jun 27, 2024 1:34 pm  

nathan_rugby wrote:

Maybe it was a different article but the way I read it was "If a Super League clubs draws a lower league team, they will play away," not a guarantee that they will play a lower team.

Bearing in mind that im assuming the Third Round contains 32 teams here, then there should be two bags of balls (refuse to say ball bags ) at the third round draw. The first bag contains remaining lower league clubs (×20) the second bag contains SL clubs (x12), the first twelve balls pulled from the first bag guarantees both separation and an 'on the road' fixture of a SL club. The remaining eight balls are pulled in order from the first bag ensuring four lower league fixtures. It's so simple even the RFL couldn't screw it up.

Re: New Challenge Cup format : Thu Jun 27, 2024 1:56 pm  

MattyB wrote:

Bearing in mind that im assuming the Third Round contains 32 teams here, then there should be two bags of balls (refuse to say ball bags ) at the third round draw. The first bag contains remaining lower league clubs (×20) the second bag contains SL clubs (x12), the first twelve balls pulled from the first bag guarantees both separation and an 'on the road' fixture of a SL club. The remaining eight balls are pulled in order from the first bag ensuring four lower league fixtures. It's so simple even the RFL couldn't screw it up.

Sure they will have a good crack like