The draw for the third round of the men’s Betfred Challenge Cup will take place at Featherstone Rovers on Monday 27 February – and will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport Online from 6pm.
Rovers are one of 13 Betfred Championship clubs entering the competition at this stage, and this year celebrate the anniversaries of Challenge Cup Final successes in 1973 and 1983. Joining the BBC’s Dave Woods will be veterans of those victories over Bradford Northern fifty years ago and Hull FC ten years later – Jimmy Thompson (‘73) and Peter Smith (‘83), whose grandson played at Rovers in 2022 before joining Wakefield Trinity.
The 13 Championship clubs join the 19 sides who made it through the weekend’s second round ties – among them Rochdale Mayfield of the National Conference League who stunned League One Cornwall 20-14 in Penryn on Saturday. Mayfield are one of 12 community clubs in the hat, which include London’s Wests Warriors – flying the flag for the Southern Conference League (SCL) – and Orrell St James of the North West Men’s League.
Seven Betfred League One clubs are through to Round Three, including previous Challenge Cup winners Dewsbury Rams (1912, 1943), Hunslet (1908, 1934), Rochdale Hornets (1922) and Workington Town (1952). Tomorrow’s draw throws up the possibility of a South Leeds derby between the professionals of Hunslet RLFC and their community club neighbours Hunslet ARLFC of the National Conference League.
Draw numbers in full
1. Barrow Raiders
2. Batley Bulldogs
3. Bradford Bulls
4. Dewsbury Rams
5. Doncaster
6. Featherstone Rovers
7. Halifax Panthers
8. Hunslet ARLFC
9. Hunslet RLFC
10. Keighley Cougars
11. Leigh Miners Rangers
12. London Broncos
13. Midlands Hurricanes
14. Newcastle Thunder
15. North Wales Crusaders
16. Orrell St James
17. Rochdale Hornets
18. Rochdale Mayfield
19. Sheffield Eagles
20. Siddal
21. Stanningley
22. Swinton Lions
23. Thatto Heath Crusaders
24. Wath Brow Hornets
25. West Bowling
26. Westgate Common
27. Wests Warriors
28. Whitehaven
29. Widnes Vikings
30. Workington Town
31. York Acorn
32. York Knights
Round three ties will take place over the weekend of 11 and 12 March, while the draw for rounds four and five will be held at Millom ARL in Cumbria on Tuesday 14 March. 2023 marks the 150th anniversary of the world’s oldest amateur Rugby League club.
Betfred Super League sides enter the competition at Round Six.
Tickets for the 2023 cup finals at Wembley Stadium, including the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final, are on sale now via the RFL website. Fans can take advantage of an Early Bird offer of 25% OFF all tickets, with prices starting from only £15 Adults and £7.50 for Under 16s.
