League leaders Featherstone Rovers will be looking to make it seven wins from seven in the 2023 Betfred Championship when they host York Knights at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Sean Long’s side have won all six of their opening six fixtures and will be hopeful of continuing their perfect start to the season against the Knights.
Andrew Henderson’s York side, meanwhile, have endured a frustrating start to the season after suffering injuries to several key players. Despite this, the Knights have still conjured up three wins from six games, and currently sit sixth in the table.
York will also be searching for their first win at Featherstone since their 22-16 Northern Rail Cup victory in February 2006.
The tie of the round, however, takes place on Saturday afternoon when second-placed Toulouse Olympique travel to third-placed Sheffield Eagles, in what promises to be a fascinating spectacle at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.
Olympique can earn their third-successive victory with a win against the Eagles, whilst Mark Aston’s side will be aiming to return to winning ways following their defeat at Bradford Bulls last time out.
Saturday’s game could prove to be a memorable occasion for four players, with Sheffield’s Jack Hansen and Connor Bower just one appearance away from reaching 150 and 100 career appearances, respectively, whilst Toulouse’s Joe Bretherton and Paul Marcon will both be looking to reach a century of career appearances.
Elsewhere, Barrow Raiders can secure their first points of the season when they host a strong Halifax Panthers side.
The visitors have four wins to their name so far this year, but they will have to make the long trip to Cumbria without star man Lachlan Walmsley.
Walmsley, the division’s top try scorer, suffered a nasty looking finger injury in last weekend’s win over Keighley and is expected to be out for several weeks.
Raiders’ Ryan Shaw requires just eight points to reach 1,500 for his career total.
Fourth-placed Bradford travel to nearby Keighley Cougars in what is set to be a thrilling local derby. The Cougars will be aiming to earn their first win against Bradford since April 1945.
However, the visitors head into the game at Cougar Park off the back of an impressive 32-18 win against Sheffield.
London Broncos can make it thirteen wins in a row against Swinton when they host the Lions this Sunday.
This weekend’s meeting promises to be a fairly even fixture though, with both sides picking up two wins from their opening six league fixtures.
London claimed a narrow 34-32 victory the last time the two sides met back in September 2021. Current Swinton star Mike Butt was on the scoresheet that day, and the Welsh international can reach 100 career tries with another score against the Broncos this weekend.
Widnes Vikings face off against Newcastle Thunder at the DCBL Stadium, where John Kear’s Vikings will be aiming to bounce back from last week’s defeat against Toulouse. Vikings star Kieran Dixon can reach 150 career tries with a brace against Thunder.
Finally, Whitehaven can make it two wins in as many matches with a victory against Batley Bulldogs. Haven earned a memorable 14-12 away victory at York last time out, but standing in their way this week are the in-form Bulldogs.
Craig Lingard’s side produced an impressive performance in Monday night’s fixture against Barrow Raiders, with the Bulldogs cruising to a 24-12 triumph.
Round Seven Fixtures
Saturday 25 March
- Sheffield Eagles vs Toulouse Olympique - 15:00
Sunday 26 March
- Barrow Raiders vs Halifax Panthers - 15:00
- Featherstone Rovers vs York Knights - 15:00
- Keighley Cougars vs Bradford Bulls - 15:00
- London Broncos vs Swinton Lions - 15:00
- Whitehaven vs Batley Bulldogs - 15:00
- Widnes Vikings vs Newcastle Thunder - 15:00
