2026 Challenge Cup Discussion

[KennySterling]

And the slaughter continued today (Sunday) with Wigan winning 83-0 at Rochdale (Bevan French with the piss-take field goal), Wakefield winning 82-6 at Swinton and Catalans 56-4 at Batley where Toby Sexton made a 28-point debut (3 tries & 8 goals) and a debut try for Zac Lipowicz.

There was an upset with Goole winning at Halifax but London faded in the second-half to lose 8-26 to Bradford after leading 8-4 at the interval.

4th round draw tomorrow (Monday here).

 

[Taking The Two]

London Broncos 8-26 Bradford Bulls

At half-time today, London should have been very happy. They’d scored late to lead the game and with it being a battle of attrition, they were very much in a cup tie. I say they should have been happy, I’m sure they were but I don’t know how long that lasted until the reality set in that they had to somehow get through the second half with thirteen men. They’d lost Lewis Bienek, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Dean Hawkins and Jack Croft. That’s your impact prop, starting prop and captain, your starting half and playmaker and your first choice backrow. In any game that is massive and when another player, this time your starting centre goes off with 25 minutes left, your chances of winning, regardless of your opponent, becomes highly unlikely.

Bradford beat what was in front of them, that’s all they could do in the situation. The first half was a real battle and it was shaping out to be a real tough game and one you couldn’t really call. Who knows how it would have gone had London remained with a full compliment. It’ll be a case of “what if?” for London but Bradford got a reasonably tough contest under their belts and didn’t appear to pick up any injuries ahead of their return to Super League, so it was a successful day where they avoided a banana skin of a tie.

 

[League Unlimited News]

Sunday 8 February​

Catalans Dragons 56 (T. Sexton 3, T. Makinson 2, N. Cotric, B. Garcia, P. Laulu-Togaga'e, Z. Lipowicz, J. Simm tries; T. Sexton 8 goals) defeated Batley Bulldogs 4 (J. Burton try) at Fox's Biscuits Stadium (Batley).

Goole Vikings 18 (O. Morgan, N. Staveley, K. Tomlinson tries; J. Miller 3 goals) defeated Halifax Panthers 14 (B. Liu, J. Soric, B. Tibbs tries; M. Lawford goal) at The Shay Stadium (Halifax).

Keighley Cougars 18 (D. Foggin-Johnston 2, I. Farrell tries; M. Beharrell 3 goals) defeated Midlands Hurricanes 14 (O. Roberts 2, T. Warren tries; L. Else goal) at Cougar Park (Keighley).

Bradford Bulls 26 (A. Ackers, W. Blake, J. Okunbor, D. Russell, E. Ryan tries; R. Milnes 3 goals) defeated London Broncos 8 (F. Glare, L. Tindall tries) at Cherry Red Records Stadium (Wimbledon).

Oldham RLFC 46 (J. Bibby 2, K. Dixon 2, C. Geyer, H. Makin, E. Moore, T. Nisbet, E. Waine tries; K. Dixon 5 goals) defeated Dewsbury Rams 0 at Bower Fold (Stalybridge).

Wigan Warriors 83 (Z. Eckersley 4, J. Field 3, J. Wardle 3, B. French 2, J. Farrimond, P. Mago, O. Partington tries; A. Keighran 11 goals; B. French field goal) defeated Rochdale Hornets 0 at Crown Oil Arena (Rochdale).

Wakefield Trinity 82 (M. Storton 3, M. Jowitt 2, J. Rourke 2, C. Scott 2, C. Hall, J. Pitts, T. Smoothy, W. Tate, J. Trueman tries; M. Jowitt 13 goals) defeated Swinton Lions 6 (T. Kelly-Duffy try; R. Briers goal) at Morson Stadium (Sale).

2026 Challenge Cup » League Unlimited

leagueunlimited.com

 

[Perth Red]

well done Goole!

 

[Taking The Two]

Leigh and Hull and Wakefield vs Leeds the ties of the round. We’ve seen enough box ticking, meaningless hammerings, let the proper stuff begin.

 

[Perth Red]

This weekends fixtures.

you can watch the wakey v Leeds on iPlayer on Friday and hkr v hudds in youtube (the sportsman channel) on Saturday

 

[Taking The Two]

Based on the opening rounds, watching Leigh and Hull is going to be like watching two sets of drunks attempting to play the sport.

 

[Perth Red]

Should be some good games this round. Wakey v Leeds on bbc iPlayer tonight. Come on wakey!

tips to progress
HKR
St’s
york
leeds
dragons
leigh
wolves
wigan

 

[JFK Files]

I listened to Wakefield v Leeds and watched the highlights only so far.
Sounded like a thriller.
Harvey Smith the Wakey hooker is a cracking young player.

 

[Perth Red]

Well done wakey, played a blinder in the second half. Guess Leeds will have to be content with 2 pts at Vegas as their season highlight lol

wakefield 24- Leeds 14

wigan overcame bradford

york well ahead against keighley at ht

next up the cup holders v giants,

 

[RL The greatest game]

Robins coach makes Bill Leyland discision after cup win

Willie Peters makes Bill Leyland decision after Hull KR’s Huddersfield win

Willie Peters has made an early call on Bill Leyland ahead of Hull KR's trip to Catalans Dragons.

www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk

 

[Perth Red]

leyland is developing nicely, good attacking player but needs to improve his distribution and game reading. Still a young kid though.

 

[Perth Red]

Got the draw I wanted!

 

[BODISGOD]

I don’t agree on moving the final up north at all

 

[Taking The Two]

What’s the final got to do with the competition as a whole? The final represents one of the top two rugby league attendances in the country every single year - barring maybe an international game. The finals themselves have only had 3 of the last 10 that have ended with a 10+ point margin, we’ve had 8 different winners and 11 different finalists in that time too. The final isn’t the problem. The final has never been the problem. Typically, talk of the final is looking in the wrong direction and a very rugby league thing to do.

Attendances are crap in the competition, the whole putting Super League teams in to the competition a round earlier doesn’t really fix anything either. Yes, it’s a nice payday for some clubs but the rest of the competition remains unloved, under attended and probably under appreciated too. The whole talk of making the quarter finals a Magic Weekend style event does nothing either except ask fans to prepare for three consecutive rounds of neutral venues hosting games. Asking people who do attend the cup games to attend neutral venues is a bit of a slap in the face and honestly, I’m not sure playing at Newcastle is going to particularly entice those that don’t go when the game is already on their doorsteps to part with money for coaches and potentially hotels too.

 

[Foreign Legion]

Got the draw I wanted!

View attachment 110730

Are the games on Kayo this week?

 

[Perth Red]

1/4 final weekend

bbc coverage
hkr v York is on bbc 2 1.30pm uk time.saturday
wigan v wakey bbc1 1pm sunday

 

[Foreign Legion]

1/4 final weekend

bbc coverage
hkr v York is on bbc 2 1.30pm uk time.saturday
wigan v wakey bbc1 1pm sunday

What about Australia?

 

[Perth Red]

What about Australia?

If youve got a vpn set it to uk and download the bbc iPlayer app. I doubt the games are on kayo. They are on catch up on iPlayer as well if you miss them live.

 

[Perth Red]

Semis
HKR v Warrington
Wigan v St’s

both should be crackers.