2020 Challenge Cup
The 2020 Challenge Cup known as the Coral Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the 119th staging of the Challenge Cup, the main rugby league knockout tournament for teams in the Super League, the British national leagues and a number of invited amateur clubs.
Duration | 9 Rounds |
---|---|
Number of teams | 80 |
Lowest attendance | 50 (9 February 2020) |
Aggregate attendance | 12,784 |
Broadcast partners | BBC Sport Sky Sports Fox League |
Biggest home win | Barrow Island 84–6 Rhondda Outlaws (11 January 2020) |
Biggest away win | Rochdale Mayfield 6–64 (8 February 2020) |
The defending champions are Warrington Wolves who beat St Helens 18–4 at Wembley Stadium on 24 August 2019.[1] The format of the competition remains as eight knock-out rounds followed by the final. The final was scheduled to be played on 18 July instead of the August bank holiday weekend. However on 16 March, the structure and timing of the competition was placed in doubt, as all rugby league games were suspended indefinitely, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[2] The suspension was followed, on 19 May 2020, with confirmation from the Rugby Football League (RFL) of the postponement of the Challenge Cup Final, which had been scheduled for 18 July at Wembley Stadium.[3]
The suspension remained in force until 17 July when it was announced that the competition would resume on 22 August, with the intention for the final to now be played on Saturday 17 October.[4]
Entry
Entry into the Cup is mandatory for the English and Welsh professional teams, but is by invitation for all other clubs, either professional or amateur. French side Toulouse declined to enter for 2020, after also declining to play in previous years.[5] Canadian side Toronto Wolfpack rejoined the competition after declining to play in the 2019 competition and will play all ties they are involved in away from home.[6] Serbian club, Red Star who played in 2019 declined an invitation to enter in 2020 due to the demands the trip to England made on their players.[5]
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
On 16 March 2020, the RFL announced that all rugby league games had been suspended initially, until at least April, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] However, on 24 March, Rugby League clubs held a Board meeting via conference call, attended in part by senior officials of the Rugby Football League, for further discussion of how to respond to the current public health crisis. It was agreed that until further notice, all rugby league fixtures would be suspended indefinitely.[8]
The competition recommenced with the sixth round was rescheduled to 22 August after the RFL announced that rugby league could return from 2 August.[4] The pandemic caused firstly Toronto Wolfpackto withdraw from the competition on 20 July,[9] and just over a week later, on 28 July, the remaining Championship and League 1 clubs also withdrew from the competition.[10] These withdrawals caused the RFL to reconsider the structure of the competition with only 10 Super League clubs remaining in the competition. The sixth round draw was remade with only four teams, the remainder receiving byes to the quarter finals, two sixth round ties would be played as a quarter final play-off.[11]
Round details
Round | Date | Revised dates | Clubs involved this round | Winners from previous round | New entries this round | Leagues entering at this round |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Round 1 | 11–12 January | N/A | 44 | N/A | 44 |
|
Round 2 | 25–26 January | N/A | 22 | 22 | N/A | N/A |
Round 3 | 8–9 February | N/A | 22 | 11 | 11 |
|
Round 4 | 22–23 February | N/A | 24 | 11 | 13* |
|
Round 5 | 14–15 March | N/A | 16 | 12 | 4 |
|
Round 6 | 4–5 April | 22–23 August | 16 planned 4 actual | 8 planned 0 actual | 8 planned 4 actual |
|
Quarter-finals | 9–10 May | 19–20 September | 8 | 8 | 0 planned 6 actual | N/A |
Semi-finals | 6–7 June | 3 October | 4 | 4 | N/A | N/A |
Final | 18 July | 17 October | 2 | 2 | N/A | N/A |
Source:[5] |
*Toulouse Olympique declined to participate in the competition.
First round
The draw for the first round was made at the home of community club Bentley, near Doncaster.[12] Ties will be played over the weekend of 11–12 January 2020.
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance[lower-alpha 1] | ||||||||
Skirlaugh | 8–6 | Hunslet Club Parkside | 11 January 2020, 12:30pm | Eastside Community Sports Trust | N/A | ||||||
Barrow Island | 84–6 | Rhondda Outlaws | 11 January 2020, 1:30pm | Barrow Island Rugby Club | |||||||
Thornhill Trojans | 22–16 | Thatto Heath Crusaders | Thornhill Sports and Community Centre | ||||||||
Underbank Rangers | 22–10 | Lock Lane | Lock Lane Sports Centre | ||||||||
Distington | 50–10 | Bedford Tigers | 11 January 2020, 2:00pm | Distington Community Sports Club | |||||||
Edinburgh Eagles | 10–58 | Ashton Bears | Royal High Rugby Club | ||||||||
Featherstone Lions | 12–24 | West Bowling | Featherstone Lions ARLFC | ||||||||
Ince Rose Bridge | 50–10 | East Hull | Ince Rosebridge Sports and Community Club | ||||||||
Milford | 47–12 | Wigan St Judes | Milford Sports Club | ||||||||
Pilkingtons Recs | 18–28 | West Hull | Ruskin Park Health and Leisure Centre | ||||||||
Rochdale Mayfield | 32–12 | London Chargers | Mayfield Sports Centre | ||||||||
Siddal | 38–0 | Saddleworth Rangers | Siddal ARLFC | ||||||||
Upton | 30–4 | Jarrow Vikings | Quarry Lane | ||||||||
West Bank Bears | 26–24 | Royal Navy | Ted Gleave Sports Ground | ||||||||
Wigan St Patricks | 30–14 | Dewsbury Moor | Clarington Park | ||||||||
York Acorn | 36–14 | Hammersmith Hills Hoists | Acorn Sports and Social Club | ||||||||
British Army | 26–10 | Oulton Raiders | 11 January 2020, 2:30pm | Army Rugby Stadium | |||||||
Leigh Miners Rangers | 28–26 | Stanningley | Leigh Miners Welfare Institute | ||||||||
Normanton Knights | 30–24 | Longhorns | 12 January 2020, 1:30pm | Normanton Amateur Rugby Club | |||||||
RAF | 10–18 | Bentley | RAF Cranwell | ||||||||
Sherwood Wolf Hunt | 26–24 | Wests Warriors | Debdale Sports & Recreational Club | ||||||||
GB Police | 66–0 | Torfaen Tigers | 12 January 2020, 2:00pm | Mayfield Sports Centre | |||||||
Source:[13] |
Second round
The draw for the 2nd round was made at the studios of BBC Radio Leeds and broadcast live on air.[14] Ties will be played over the weekend of 25–26 January 2020.
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance[lower-alpha 1] | ||||||||
Wigan St Patricks | 10–30 | West Hull | 25 January 2020, 12:30pm | Clarington Park | N/A | ||||||
Thornhill Trojans | 58–14 | Normanton Knights | 25 January 2020, 1:30pm | Thornhill Sports & Community Club | |||||||
York Acorn | 34–14 | Barrow Island | 25 January 2020, 1:30pm | Acorn Sports & Social Club | |||||||
British Army | 17–16 | Skirlaugh | 25 January 2020, 2:00pm | Army Rugby Stadium | |||||||
GB Police | 18–19 | Rochdale Mayfield | 25 January 2020, 2:00pm | Mayfield Sports Club | |||||||
Milford | 12–19 | Ince Rose Bridge | 25 January 2020, 2:00pm | Milford Sports Club | |||||||
Siddal | 62–4 | Ashton Bears | 25 January 2020, 2:00pm | Siddal ARLFC | |||||||
Underbank Rangers | 28–14 | Distington | 25 January 2020, 2:00pm | The Cross Grounds | |||||||
West Bank Bears | 18–20 | Bentley | 25 January 2020, 2:00pm | Ted Gleave Sports Ground | |||||||
Leigh Miners Rangers | 26–6 | Upton | 25 January 2020, 2:30pm | Leigh Miners Welfare Institute | |||||||
Sherwood Wolf Hunt | 6–38 | West Bowling | 26 January 2020, 1:30pm | Debdale Sports & Recreational Club | |||||||
Source: |
Third round
The draw for the 3rd round was made live from Rochdale Hornets Crown Oil Arena.[15]
Ties were played on the weekend of the 8–9 February 2020. Several matches scheduled for 9 February were postponed due to the adverse weather caused by Storm Ciara and played the following weekend.
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance | ||||||||
Rochdale Mayfield | 6–64 | 8 February 2020, 12:30pm | Mayfield Sports Centre | S. Race | 229 | ||||||
Siddal | 10–6 | West Hull | 8 February 2020, 2:00pm | Exley Lane | J. Stearne | 450 | |||||
Thornhill Trojans | 20–24 | 8 February 2020, 2:00pm | Tetley's Stadium | A. Sweet | Not recorded | ||||||
British Army | 34–22 | Ince Rose Bridge | 8 February 2020, 2:15pm | Aldershot Military Stadium | N. Bennett | 100 | |||||
Leigh Miners Rangers | 20–4 | Bentley | 8 February 2020, 2:30pm | Twist Lane | M. Smail | 376 | |||||
8–30 | Underbank Rangers | 9 February 2020, 2:00pm | Stebonheath Park | J. Jones | 50 | ||||||
36–4 | 9 February 2020, 3:00pm | South Leeds Stadium | C. Worsley | 225 | |||||||
12–16 | 15 February 2020, 2:00pm[lower-alpha 2] | Cougar Park | L. Staveley | 402 | |||||||
28–22 | West Bowling | 16 February 2020, 2:00pm[lower-alpha 2] | Derwent Park | K. Moore | 950 | ||||||
38–18 | 16 February 2020, 3:00pm[lower-alpha 2] | Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium | B. Milligan | 769 | |||||||
54–10 | York Acorn | 16 February 2020, 3:00pm[lower-alpha 2] | AJ Bell Stadium[lower-alpha 3] | A. Sweet | 200 | ||||||
Source:[17][18] |
Fourth round
The draw for the fourth round was made live on BBC Sport, live from Halifax's MBI Shay Stadium
Ties will be played over the weekend of 21–23 February 2020.
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance | ||||||||
36–10 | 21 February 2020, 8:00pm | Leigh Sports Village | M. Rossleigh | 1,586 | |||||||
20–18 | 22 February 2020, 2:00pm | Mobile Rocket Stadium | J. Vella | 429 | |||||||
Siddal A.R.L.F.C. | 10–30 | 22 February 2020, 2:00pm | Siddal ARLFC | N. Horton | 450 | ||||||
18–16 | 22 February 2020, 3:00pm | LD Nutrition Stadium | A. Moore | 1,120 | |||||||
56–0 | Leigh Miners Rangers | 22 February 2020, 3:00pm | Heywood Road | K. Moore | 622 | ||||||
22–0 | Underbank Rangers | 23 February 2020, 1:00pm | Tetley's Stadium | C. Worsley | 1,458 | ||||||
18–22 | 23 February 2020, 2:30pm | Queensway Stadium | B. Pearson | 249 | |||||||
22–24 | 23 February 2020, 3:00pm | Trailfinders Sports Ground | T. Grant | 543 | |||||||
54–10 | British Army | 23 February 2020, 3:00pm | Crown Oil Arena | J. McMullen | 400 | ||||||
16–22 | 11 March 2020, 7:00pm[lower-alpha 4] | Recreation Ground | J Smith | 427 | |||||||
52–12 | 23 February 2020, 3:00pm | DCBL Stadium | G. Hewer | 1,564 | |||||||
22–12 | 23 February 2020, 3:00pm | Derwent Park | T. Crashley | 612 | |||||||
Source:[19][20] |
Fifth round
The draw for Round Five was streamed live on BBC Sport, and Our League, on Monday 24 February, 6.30pm, live from Hull Kingston Rovers’ Hull College Craven Park. Rovers are one four Super League clubs joining the competition at this stage, alongside Huddersfield Giants, Toronto Wolfpack and Wakefield Trinity. Ties will be played over the weekend of 14–15 March 2020.[21]
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance | ||||||||
18–0 | 11 March 2020, 7:45pm | John Smith's Stadium[lower-alpha 5] | S Mikalauskas | 1,488 | |||||||
46–6 | 13 March 2020, 7:30pm | LD Nutrition Stadium | A Moore | 1,002 | |||||||
17–14 | 13 March 2020, 7:45pm | Mobile Rocket Stadium | M Griffiths | 3,112 | |||||||
34–18 | 15 March 2020, 2:00pm | Keepmoat Stadium | J Vella | 323 | |||||||
22–19 | 15 March 2020, 3:00pm | Hull College Craven Park | G Hewer | 2,620 | |||||||
38–30 | 15 March 2020, 3:00pm | Kingston Park | B Pearson | 689 | |||||||
32–16 | 15 March 2020, 3:00pm | DCBL Stadium | T Grant | 1,527 | |||||||
70–12 | 15 March 2020, 3:00pm | LD Nutrition Stadium[lower-alpha 6] | J Smith | 400 | |||||||
Source:[23] |
Sixth round
The draw for the sixth round was made live from MediaCityUK in Salford on Monday 16 March 2020, and was streamed live on BBC Sport, and the Our League app from 6:00pm.[24] Originally scheduled to be made in New York, the draw was moved due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Defending champions Warrington, start their defence of their title at this stage, alongside Castleford, Catalans, Hull FC, Leeds, Salford, St Helens and Wigan. Ties were scheduled to be played over the weekend of 4–5 April 2020, however, due to the suspension of all rugby league games as part of the United Kingdom's response to the coronavirus pandemic, meant that these dates were speculative and therefore rescheduled for a later date.[25]
On 17 July 2020, the RFL announced that a full revised schedule for the Challenge Cup would resume on 22 August with a double header at the John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield. Warrington would have played Wigan at 2:30pm, in a tie shown live on BBC1. This match would have then been followed by Salford v St Helens at 5pm, shown live on BBC2.[26] However, due to the ongoing events with the Covid-19 pandemic, Toronto Wolfpack announced on 21 July that they would be taking no further part in the Challenge Cup due to financial restrictions.[27]
With Toronto's withdrawal and the abandonment of the Championship and League 1 competitions, the RFL held a meeting on 27 July to consider the future of the cup competition. The following day, the five non-Super League teams left in the cup; Featherstone Rovers, Newcastle Thunder, Sheffield Eagles, York City Knights, and Widnes Vikings, all announced that they were withdrawing from the competition. In response to this, the RFL announced that the whole of the sixth round was to be redrawn, involving just the 10 Super League sides remaining in the competition. Four teams would play in the revised sixth round, with the six remaining teams not to receive a tie for this round automatically gaining a bye to the quarter finals.[28]
The two sixth round ties were due to be played as a double header at the John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield as previously announced, with both ties being televised live on the BBC.[28] However during the week of 10 August a number of Hull players and coaching staff tested positive for Covid-19 so the club's next fixtures including the sixth round tie against Castleford were postponed.[29]
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | ||||||
P–P[lower-alpha 7] | TBA | TBA | ||||||
– | 22 August 2020, 2:30pm | John Smith's Stadium |
Quarter-finals
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance | |||||
– | 19-20 September 2020 | |||||||
or |
– | |||||||
or |
– | |||||||
– | ||||||||
Semi-finals
Team A | Score | Team B | Match Information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance | |||||
– | 3 October 2020, TBC | TBC | ||||||
– |
Final
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance | |||||
– | 17 October 2020, 3:00pm | Wembley Stadium |
Broadcast matches
Round | Match | Date | Broadcast method |
---|---|---|---|
1st | Skirlaugh v Hunslet Club Parkside | 11 January 2020, 12:30pm | Streamed live BBC iPlayer and BBC Red Button[30] |
RAF v Bentley | 12 January 2020, 1:30pm | Streamed live on Our League[30] | |
2nd | Wigan St. Patricks v West Hull | 25 January 2020, 12:30pm | Streamed live BBC iplayer and BBC Red Button[31] |
Sherwood Wolf Hunt v West Bowling | 26 January 2020, 1:30pm | Streamed live on Our League[31] | |
3rd | Rochdale Mayfield v North Wales Crusaders | 8 February 2020, 12:30pm | Streamed live BBC iPlayer and BBC Red Button[32] |
British Army v Ince Rose Bridge | 8 February 2020, 2:15pm | streamed live on Our League[32] | |
Keighley Cougars v Newcastle Thunder | 15 February 2020, 3:00pm | Streamed live on Our League[16] | |
4th | Bradford Bulls v Underbank Rangers | 23 February 2020, 1:00pm | Streamed live on BBC iPlayer[33] |
London Broncos v York City Knights | 23 February 2020, 3:00pm | Streamed live on Our League[33] | |
5th | Toronto Wolfpack v Huddersfield Giants | 11 March 2020, 7:45pm | Streamed live on Our League |
6th | Catalans Dragons v Wakefield Trinity | 22 August 2020, 2:30pm | Live on BBC One[29] |
Castleford Tigers v Hull FC | TBA | TBA | |
Notes
- Attendances for games involving only community clubs are not recorded
- Match postponed on original date due to poor weather conditions caused by Storm Ciara
- Match moved to Salford Red Devils' ground as the Crown Oil Arena was unplayable.[16]
- Match postponed on 23 February due to a waterlogged pitch
- Toronto were drawn as the home team but under their agreement with the RFL Toronto do not play cup games at home
- Bootham Crescent unavailable to York City Knights.[22]
- Match postponed due to positive Covid-19 tests among the Hull squad.[29]
References
- "Warrington stun Saints to clinch Challenge Cup glory". Total RL. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
- "Coronavirus: Rugby Football League suspends season until 3 April". BBC Sport. 16 March 2020.
- "Coronavirus: Challenge and AB Sundecks Cup Finals postponed". rugby football league. 19 May 2020.
- "Cup final could still be at Wembley". BBC Sport. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- "Road to Wembley starts at Bentley for Coral Challenge Cup First Round draw". RFL. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- McAllister, Josh (18 November 2019). "Toronto confirmed in Challenge Cup 2020". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- "Super League fixtures Suspended until April". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- "Season Suspension Update". superleague.co.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- "Toronto Wolfpack pull out of Super League season as relegation is cancelled". The Guardian. 20 July 2020.
- "Challenge Cup sixth round to be redrawn". BBC Sport. 28 July 2020.
- Jackson, by William (July 29, 2020). "Live Challenge Cup draw updates as FC, KR and more discover fate". Hull Daily Mail.
- Gordon, James (5 December 2019). "2020 Challenge Cup first round draw". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
- "Coral Challenge Cup - round one". Rugby Leaguer & League Express (3, 208). 13 January 2020. p. 23.
- "BBC Radio Leeds to host Coral Challenge Cup second round draw". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- "Rochdale hornets to host Coral Challenge Cup third round draw". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
- "Keighley and Newcastle Coral Challenge Cup tie on Our League". www.rugby-league.com. Rugby Football League. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- "Coral Challenge Cup Round Three". Rugby Leaguer & League Express (3, 212). 10 February 2020. p. 32.
- "Coral Challenge Cup Round Three". Rugby Leaguer & League Express (3, 213). 17 February 2020. p. 36.
- "Coral Challenge Cup Round Four". Rugby Leaguer & League Express (3, 214). 24 February 2020. p. 36.
- "Coral Challenge Cup Round Four". Rugby Leaguer & League Express (3, 217). 16 March 2020. p. 36.
- "Challenge Cup draw: Toronto Wolfpack to face Huddesfield Giants". BBC Sport. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
- "Club Statement: Cup game moved to Featherstone". York City Knights. 14 March 2020.
- "Coral Challenge Cup Round Five". Rugby Leaguer & League Express (3, 217). 16 March 2020. p. 36.
- "Coral Challenge Cup Sixth Round draw moved to UK". www.rugby-league.com. RFL. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- "Challenge Cup sixth round: Newcastle Thunder rewarded with Toronto Wolfpack tie". BBC Sport. 16 March 2020.
- "Coral Challenge Cup to return in August with a double header". www.rugby-league.com. RFL. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- "Toronto withdraw from 2020 Super League". BBC Sport. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- "Challenge Cup sixth round to be redrawn". BBC Sport. 28 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- "Coral Challenge Cup sixth round". RFL. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- "Coral Challenge Cup First Round coverage confirmed". www.rugby-league.com. Rugby Football League. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- "BBC and Our League confirm challenge cup round 2 coverage". www.rugby-league.com. Rugby Football League. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- "BBC and Our League confirm challenge cup round 3 coverage". www.rugby-league.com. Rugby Football League. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- "BBC and Our League confirm Round Four coverage". Rugby Football League. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020.