The final round of the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup got underway on Sunday with seven Betfred Championship clubs and Betfred League One’s Oldham through to the quarter-finals.
Over in Group 6 North Wales Crusaders faced Widnes Vikings on home soil. The Vikings would go onto win 14-30, but Swinton Lions had already assured top spot of the group and booked their place in the last eight. Similarly, Whitehaven claimed the Cumbrian derby spoils with a 22-28 victory away at Workington Town. Barrow Raiders however, had already done enough in Group 1 to cement their quarter-final spot with respective victories over the two other Cumbrian sides prior to this Round 3 clash.
Meanwhile, Keighley Cougars hosted Bradford Bulls in their dedicated match to LGBTQ+ History Month, in front of a bumper crowd. It was a tough battle between the West Yorkshire rivals, and late tries from the Cougars’ Charlie Graham and Mark Ioane made for an interesting and tense last ten minutes. But the Championship Bulls proved too strong in the end and managed to hold off Keighley’s late comeback to ensure themselves a well-deserved place in the hat.
It was also a dominating victory for Wakefield Trinity who racked up 19 tries against a spirited Newcastle Thunder, as Trinity recorded their biggest ever winning margin on Sunday afternoon, and Mason Lino broke the record for points scored in a single game with 38. But the spirit of rugby league shone brightly in this fixture as fans came together at Featherstone’s Millennium Stadium to support the Thunder in testing times.
Batley also enjoyed a convincing win over Hunslet to finish top of Group 5 on Sunday. The Bulldogs have enjoyed a successful 1895 Cup journey so far, which started when they clinched a dramatic drop-goal victory over Championship heavyweights Featherstone in Round 2. Fast forward to the final round against Hunslet and a first half brace from Joe Burton set the Bulldogs in good stead, before three tries in second half and solid effort would secure that crucial win. Can Mark Moxon's side reach Wembley once more in 2024?
League One’s Oldham also continued to thrive in the 1895 Cup competition with a comfortable 38-12 victory over rivals Rochdale - meaning they are the only League One club to progress to the next stage of the competition. Sean Long’s men will now begin preparations for when they face York Knights, the best second placed team, in their quarter-final tie.
And it was a must-win game for inaugural 1895 Cup winners Sheffield Eagles to ensure a top spot and quarter-final place, and they did this by beating Midlands Hurricanes 30-16.
AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Round 3 results in full:
AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Quarter-Final ties (fixtures to be played on Sunday 3 March):
- Sheffield Eagles v Batley Bulldogs
- Bradford Bulls v Swinton Lions
- York Knights v Oldham
- Wakefield Trinity v Barrow Raiders
AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Semi-Finals draw (fixtures to be played on Sunday 12 May):
- Bradford Bulls or Swinton Lions v Wakefield Trinity or Barrow Raiders
- York Knights or Oldham v Sheffield Eagles or Batley Bulldogs
The AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final (KO 5.45pm) 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 (KO 11.45am) and Men's 2024 Betfred Challenge Cup Final (KO 3pm). Plus, there will be the traditional Year 7 Boys’ Champion Schools Final at 10am. 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.
