The Betfred Championship came back with a bang this weekend, with seven entertaining matches in the opening round.
Sheffield Eagles started the 2024 Betfred Championship season in style with a thrilling 24-22 home victory over Toulouse Olympique on Friday night.
The Eagles were looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season having earned seven successive victories in both the Betfred Challenge Cup and AB Sundecks 1895 Cup heading into their league opener.
And it would be Sheffield’s half-back heroes who were the stars of the show - Anthony Thackeray with a first half brace and Corey Aston also getting himself on the scoresheet and converting all four of his side’s tries - points that proved to be crucial in the latter stages of the game.
The Eagles had to overturn a 6-16 deficit to beat last year’s Promotion Finalists, as the visitors scored a flurry of three tries in the first half courtesy of Guy Armitage, Paul Ulberg and Matthieu Jussaume.
Across Yorkshire and Wakefield Trinity produced a dominant display against a depleted Bradford Bulls to kick-start their 2024 league campaign.
Daryl Powell’s men ran in seven tries on the night in front of a sell out crowd, but they were put to the test in the opening quarter when the Bulls levelled the scores at 8-8. Three late tries in the first half then gave Trinity a comfortable lead heading into the break, as they continued to control the game well into the second half.
Josh Griffin bagged himself a first half brace, and Liam Hood and Oli Pratt touched down, before Derrell Olpherts scored on debut in front of jubilant home stand. Max Jowitt and Lachlan Walmsley - who finished in the corner in trademark style - further added to Bradford's woes, in a local derby that did not disappoint.
On Sunday, Featherstone
came from behind to beat Batley in emphatic fashion, enacting revenge for their
recent 1895 Cup disappointment.
The Rovers found themselves 18-0 down inside the first fifteen minutes - the Bulldogs scoring through Nyle Flynn, Joe Burton and Dale Morton respectively. On the back foot, it looked as though James Ford’s men were going to return home empty-handed from very early on, but a touch down by Brad Day on the half-time hooter breathed life into the Featherstone outfit.
Further tries from Danny Addy and Greg Minikin took the scores to 20-18, and with just two minutes from time Caleb Aekins would come up with the play to go over for the Rovers and clinch a last-gasp win on the road.
And there was another tight
encounter taking place in Cumbria continued as Whitehaven pipped Swinton Lions
18-16. It was a tale of two
halves as the Lions built-up a 0-14 lead in the first forty, but Haven produced an impressive display in the second half to bounce back - Rio Corkill scoring the match-winner for the hosts in the final ten minutes.
Elsewhere, Halifax Panthers claimed their first two points with a hard fought win against a very spirited Dewsbury side at the FLAIR Stadium. And there was little to separate the two sides’ efforts with just one try a-piece at half-time.
The Rams would then take the lead on the 51st minute through Jacob Hookem who went over from dummy half for his first try in Rams colours, as things were looking promising for Dale Ferguson's men. But in the end it was 'Fax who would prove too strong as two tries in quick succession from Joe Keyes and Louis Jouffret, as well as another try on the hooter from James Woodburn-Hall, sealed it for the visitors.
Then, the newly-promoted Doncaster enjoyed a perfect start to life in the second tier, emerging as 36-20 victors over Championship heavyweights York Knights. A strong recruitment drive in the off-season has paved way for the Dons to be a competitive Championship side in 2024 and they certainly delivered in their first test - in what unfolded as an entertaining encounter at the Eco-Power Stadium.
It was also a convincing home win for Widnes Vikings who beat Barrow Raiders 44-8 - and now sit at the top of the table on points difference, heading into Round 2.
Betfred Championship Round 1 results:
Sheffield Eagles 24 Toulouse Olympique 22
Wakefield Trinity 42 Bradford Bulls 12
Batley Bulldogs 20 Featherstone Rovers 24
Whitehaven RLFC 18 Swinton Lions 16
Dewsbury Rams 10 Halifax Panthers 24
Doncaster RLFC 36 York Knights 20
Widnes Vikings 44 Barrow Raiders 8
The full fixture lists for Betfred Championship and Betfred League One can be found here.
