Expansionists Eastern Rhinos enter the Challenge Cup for the first time ever this weekend!
The third and final team to enter this year’s Betfred Challenge Cup competition is Southern Conference League side, Eastern Rhinos.
Eager to put themselves and the sport in the South on the map, head coach Peter Le Marquand is relishing the chance to play in the coveted Challenge Cup:
“For us to be in the Challenge Cup is an absolute dream.
“A few of the older guys at the club are quite envious because when they were players, they would have loved to play in it! But we’re so happy that the current players will have that opportunity.
“A lot of us go and watch the Challenge Cup Final every year – it’s like a club day out. We know a lot about the competition and it’s quite a big deal for us.”
The club was formed in 1992 in Suffolk, later moved across to Ipswich, before eventually relocating and settling in Colchester in 2008.
“We now play at a lovely little ground called Colchester Sports Park, competing in a competitive SCL which has the best teams in London, as well as Bristol and then London’s other home counties.
“Our club has moved around but in present day we’ve now got two men’s teams – a reserves and first team, a primary and juniors section, and we’re looking to set up a girls team this year too.
“One of the positives of the club is that a lot of our first team has come through the junior section. They came through as juniors, to the men’s team, and then go on become our coaches in the future.
“So, although our numbers aren’t huge, we have quite a legacy going on here at Eastern Rhinos and a good club conveyor belt going on.
“We also have good links with the schools and colleges around us.”
Marquand’s main role is to oversee the coaching duties at the Rhinos, but like many community and grassroot clubs, it’s all about helping out when and where they can:
“In community clubs you will always end up doing multiple roles. First and foremost, I’ll organise all the coaching throughout the club but then I’m also the secretary who sorts the fixtures and facilities, and all the things you need to do to keep the club going.
“But we’ve got a great set of volunteers who put their hands up to help out. We’re a small group but we’re tight-knit, and everyone looks out for one another.”
The Rhinos will welcome fellow SCL rivals and former Champions Wests Warriors in Round One this Sunday – an incredible contest for both sides ahead of their upcoming league season - but also for London and the fans down South.
“Everyone’s really excited for a home tie, especially against another SCL team.
“We usually make our away days a bit of a social event, so we would have been happy with either, but the home tie is a bonus.
“The boys are really keen about it, and it’s made us start training way earlier than usual. We’ve been training since the end of November, and it’s given us a real kickstart.
“I’m hoping the Challenge Cup will be a real boost for the club and obviously our aim is to go and there and win the First Round and see how far we could go. But win or lose, it’s something that’s going to make us hit the ground running when we start our usual pre-season training.
“Where the SCL is concerned, we’ve been finishing mid-table in recent seasons. But we should be aiming for top four this year and we really want to win things.
"It's just the resources we’ve got in comparison to some of the other teams in London – we have to work really hard with what we’ve got.
“We were probably our most competitive around ten years ago, when we were finalists back in 2015. We’ve been there and thereabouts ever since, but we’re hoping for a big 2025.”
A huge 80 minutes awaits both Eastern Rhinos and their opponents this weekend, with a mouthwatering tie against either the British Army or RAF waiting for them in the Second Round.
And as an all-community tie, this would guarantee a community side from this fixture in the hat for the Third Round draw with 12 Super League giants – a magnificent prospect the revamped Challenge Cup format has to offer.
“It is massive,” Marquand exclaimed. “It’s something which will create so much interest. When you talk about rugby league in the South, people don’t really know what you’re talking about until you name drop a team such as St Helens or Wigan, and when you’ve got the possibility of a powerhouse team like that coming down and playing at your home venue – it creates a buzz you cannot explain.
“We’re not going to look too far ahead but just the fact that these possibilities exist is something to get excited about.”
Raising the profile of clubs in London and the surrounding teams is a key priority for Eastern Rhinos, as Marquand proclaimed:
“The population down here is huge and generally, people love sport, but they just don’t know about rugby league that much.
“And this is because they don’t have a consistent insight into it, so something like the Challenge Cup can really get people into this.
“Small things like an additional sponsor or generating fans for other London teams are huge and we want to promote the game the best way we can.
“We’re always actively looking for new players, members, volunteers and supporters – they are always welcome and if interested, please contact us to get in touch.”
Eastern Rhinos
Eastern Rhinos will host Wests Warriors in Round One of the Betfred Challenge Cup on Sunday 12 January, K.O. 2.30pm.
Saturday 7 June is Betfred Challenge Cup Finals Day 2025 – also including the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final, AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final, and RFL Champion Schools Year 7 Boys Final. Tickets are on sale now!
