The eagerly-awaited Men’s Betfred Challenge Cup competition returns this weekend, with two stand-out ties set to be streamed live for fans to watch from the comfort of their own homes.
Twenty clubs from the community game and Armed Forces went into the hat for Round One, and this Saturday will showcase a series of interesting matches to kickstart this historic tournament.
Firstly, the Royal Air Force vs. the Royal Navy fixture will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and Red Button and will also be available worldwide on the BBC Sport website, on Saturday 13 January (K.O. 12:30pm) from RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. These two sides both reached Round Two of the 2023 competition, where the RAF won at Doncaster Toll Bar before losing narrowly to York Acorn, and the Royal Navy beat Barrow Island before suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of North Wales Crusaders from professional ranks.
But there is something particularly special about this cup tie, as 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the ban being lifted to allow rugby league to be played within the forces, with Saturday being first time that the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy sides will have faced each other in the Challenge Cup since the forces were invited to join the competition back in 1999.
Only one of them can make Round Two this time around, but who will come out on top?
The Forces’ fixture will also see a female referee take charge in the middle - with last year’s Women’s Challenge Cup winner Tara Jones officiating this live Betfred Challenge Cup Round One tie. Jones currently plays for St Helens in the Women’s Super League and became the first ever try-scorer in a Women’s Challenge Cup played at Wembley, last year. She has also recently been named in England's Senior Performance Squad for their first training session later this month.
The Sportsman will also continue its live coverage of the competition and broadcast Orrell St James vs. Haresfinch on Sunday 14 January (K.O. 2pm). Orrell enjoyed a successful 2023 season in the North West Men’s League, where they were crowned Champions after a dramatic Grand Final victory against Ashton Bears. The Orrell side will have a home advantage in Round One against Challenge Cup debutants Haresfinch.
Haresfinch also had a remarkable campaign in 2023, having finished an impressive second place in their maiden season of the NWML Premier Division following promotion in 2022, as well as being runners-up in their first ever BARLA National Cup Final. With both sides having battled it out in the league last year, this Challenge Cup clash will be a highly-anticipated one – setting the tone for their 2024 seasons.
Ambitious South Wales Jets have drawn a home tie for their inaugural Challenge Cup match, and these first-timers have an incredible back story in how they came to be. Although a charity side first and foremost with a firm focus on tackling mental health and breaking down stigmas, South Wales Jets are a force to be reckoned with in Welsh Men’s Rugby League, having maintained a 100 percent record in their 2023 season. The entirely self-funded Jets will be relishing the opportunity to represent Welsh Rugby League in the Betfred Challenge Cup and showcase their pride for the badge.
The Jets face Ashton Golding’s Stanningley side – a team who managed to reach the third round of the Challenge Cup last year, following convincing wins over Milford and Fryston Warriors. Their cup run would come to an end however, as they lost at home to the then Championship side Newcastle Thunder. Stanningley will be hoping for something similar this time out and may look to improve on their 2023 run.
Elsewhere, the third Forces’ team, British Army, face a tough trip to Castleford to take on leading Yorkshire Men’s League side Fryston Warriors. The Yorkshire Men’s League Champions Newsome Panthers also travel south to take on Wests Warriors in the capital, while another London side, reigning Southern Conference champions Hammersmith Hills Hoists, will face another side making their Challenge Cup bow – Gillingham’s Medway Dragons.
Round One fixtures in full (all Saturday 13 January)
- Clock Face Miners v Heworth (KO 1.30pm)
- Doncaster Toll Bar v Ashton Bears (1.30pm)
- Fryston Warriors v British Army (2pm)
- Hammersmith Hills Hoists v Medway Dragons (3pm, Chiswick RFC)
- Lowca v Edinburgh Eagles (1pm)
- Oulton Raiders v West Bowling (2pm)
- Royal Air Force v Royal Navy (12.30pm)
- South Wales Jets v Stanningley (1.30pm, Ebbw Vale RFC)
- Wests Warriors v Newsome Panthers (2.00pm, Wasps RFC)
- Orrell St James v Haresfinch (2pm) (Sunday 14 January)
The winners of the 10 Round One ties will be joined in Round Two by 10 clubs from the National Conference League - and the draw for that round has already thrown up some fascinating ties, which can be found here.
The Men's 2024 Betfred Challenge Cup Final is part of a Finals Day triple-header at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8 June, alongside the finals of the Betfred Women's Challenge Cup and AB Sundecks 1895 Cup. Tickets are available online now from only £15 Adults and £7.50 Under 16s, with family packages also available starting from just £18.75 for one Adult and two Under 16s.
