The AB Sundecks 1895 Cup will be returning in 2024, and this time it will be with a new and enticing, expanded format. Founded in 2019 and named in honour of the 1895 Northern Rugby Football Union, this competition was created to provide a second and more realistic chance for clubs outside the Betfred Super League, who dream of reaching Challenge Cup Finals Day at Wembley Stadium.
Ahead of the group fixtures being released today, we look back on previous AB Sundecks 1895 Cup competitions and its finals, and the new format for 2024 is explained…
In 2024, 13 England-based Championship clubs will join eight League One clubs in seven groups of three. These groups will be seeded and regionalised, as League One clubs will be awarded home advantage in any fixtures against Championship opposition.
The top team in each of these groups will then qualify for the Quarter finals, joined by the best-performing second-placed team of all seven groups – the latter to be determined by competition points initially and then, if necessary, by points difference.
The first round of group fixtures in the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup will be played on the weekend of January 27-28. The remaining two rounds of group fixtures will be played in February, alternating with the early rounds of the Betfred Challenge Cup.
Quarter-finals will be played on March 3, semi-finals on May 12, and the final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday June 8.
There have been four different winners of the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup since it was integrated into the league structure in 2019, highlighting that this competition does have the platform to give second and third tier clubs a fair chance and an opportunity to make the big stage.
Halifax Panthers are the current holders, as they defeated Batley Bulldogs 12-10 at Wembley last August, in a close West Yorkshire final clash.
This was Halifax’s first appearance at Wembley since 1988, and although a low score, there was plenty of action, as the Panthers held off a late comeback from the Bulldogs, who are the original Challenge Cup winners.
The 2021 and 2022 competition had altered formats due to effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and it would be victory for Leigh Centurions (now Leopards) in 2022, when they beat Featherstone Rovers 30-16 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in the third AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final. Both with convincing wins in the semi-finals against Sheffield and Barrow respectively, it was Leigh’s excellent second half performance that would see them go on to lift the cup.
Previously, the fans attending the final in 2021 witnessed a try fest unfold at Wembley Stadium, as Featherstone Rovers hung on to beat York City Knights 41-34. This action-packed final was one to remember with its 13 try spectacle, as the match had only been given the go-ahead three hours before the noon kick-off after COVID-19 scares from both clubs.
Casting our minds back to 2019, the maiden AB Sundecks 1895 Cup competition was a straight knock-out tournament to the final, in which Sheffield Eagles became the inaugural winners of the cup, beating Widnes Vikings 36-18 with a ruthless second half performance.
The same year also saw League One side Doncaster RLFC reach the quarter-finals and narrowly miss out on a semi-final appearance, as they fell agonisingly short 32-28 against rivals and winners Sheffield.
To this date, Doncaster are the furthest a League One side has progressed in this competition, but could this all be set to change in 2024, with the latest structure revamp?
The group fixtures for the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup will be released this afternoon at 2pm and will be available to view on the Rugby League website and on our social media channels.
