The First and Second Round draws for the 2022 Betfred Challenge Cup will be conducted at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday evening (December 14) by Morgan Knowles from the Cup holders St Helens and the former Spurs captain Michael Dawson.
The draws, which include 28 teams from the community game returning to the competition after a Covid-enforced absence in 2020 as well as 10 teams from Betfred League 1, will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport app and the RFL’s Our League web and app from 5.30pm.
The First Round of the 2022 Betfred Challenge Cup will be played on the weekend of January 15-16, with the Second Round two weeks later – the start of the road to the Final which will break new ground at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday May 28.
The First Round will include 28 teams from the community game. The 14 winners will then be joined by 10 teams from Betfred League 1 for the Second Round – including four clubs who have won the Challenge Cup previously in its 125-year history (Hunslet, Oldham, Rochdale Hornets and Swinton Lions) as well as the recently renamed Midlands Hurricanes.
Morgan Knowles, a 25-year-old forward from Barrow-in-Furness who made a try-scoring debut for England against the Combined Nations All Stars in June, was a member of the Saints team who beat Castleford Tigers in the 2021 Betfred Challenge Cup Final at Wembley – his second Final, as he also played in the defeat by Warrington Wolves in 2019.
Michael Dawson, a Yorkshireman from Northallerton, made 236 appearances for Spurs from 2005-14, including two seasons as captain, and won four England caps in 2010-11, starting and ending his professional career with Nottingham Forest and also making 122 appearances in four seasons with Hull City.
Ball Numbers
First Round
1 Bentley
2 Bridgend Blue Bulls
3 British Army
4 Edinburgh Eagles
5 Ellenborough Rangers
6 Featherstone Lions
7 Galway Tribesmen
8 Great Britain Police
9 Hunslet Club Parkside
10 Jarrow Vikings
11 Leigh Miners Rangers
12 Lock Lane
13 London Chargers
14 Milford
15 Orrell St James
16 Pilkington Recs
17 RAF
18 Rochdale Mayfield
19 Royal Navy
20 Siddal
21 Stanningley
22 Thatto Heath Crusaders
23 Thornhill Trojans
24 Upton
25 West Hull
26 Wests Warriors
27 Wigan St Patricks
28 York Acorn
Second Round
1-14 First Round winners
15 Doncaster
16 Hunslet
17 Keighley Cougars
18 London Skolars
19 Midlands Hurricanes
20 North Wales Crusaders
21 Oldham
22 Rochdale Hornets
23 Swinton Lions
24 West Wales Raiders
Betfred Challenge Cup 2022
First Round (14 ties) – January 15-16
Second Round (12 ties) – January 29-30 – Betfred League 1 clubs enter
Third Round (6 ties) – February 12-13
Fourth Round (10 ties) – February 26-27 – Betfred Championship clubs enter
Fifth Round (5 ties) – March 12-13
Sixth Round (8 ties) – March 26-27 – Betfred Super League clubs enter
Quarter Finals – April 9-10
Semi Finals – Saturday May 7 at Elland Road, Leeds
Betfred Challenge Cup Final 2022 – Saturday May 28 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
