Round Two of the Men’s Betfred Challenge Cup will take place this weekend, where three community teams are guaranteed to secure a tie against Betfred Super League opposition in the Third Round, courtesy of the competition’s new format.
The action will kick off this Saturday lunchtime (1230pm) at Rosslyn Park RFC with live coverage on BBC Sport (iPlayer, Red Button and website) of a historic fixture between London Broncos and Goole Vikings.
Royal Navy’s tie against Workington Town will also be broadcast live on the BFBS YouTube channel (the British Forces Broadcasting Services), after attracting more than 15,000 views for their streaming of the British Army’s victory over the RAF in the First Round.
The ties where community teams are guaranteed Super League opposition are as follows - Wests Warriors v British Army with the winners to face Leeds Rhinos, York Acorn v Oulton Raiders with the winners to face Hull FC, and Hunslet ARLFC and West Hull, who have the excitement of a tie against St Helens.
Blackbrook v Ince Rose Bridge’s all-community tie also means there will be a fourth amateur club heading into Round Three.
There are a total of eight ties on Saturday with eleven happening on Sunday – all including community, National Conference League and Betfred Championship and Betfred League One sides.
The 12 Super League sides will then enter the competition in Round Three.
Did you know there have been 34 amateur teams that have inflicted Challenge Cup defeat on semi-professional opposition since the 1993-1994 season?
Expect the unexpected in the Betfred Challenge Cup!
Here are five of the top ties to watch out for in Round Two:
London Broncos v Goole Vikings
All eyes will be on the BBC’s televised pick of the round, where Championship’s London Broncos take on Goole Vikings at Rosslyn Park.
History will be made in the capital as the Vikings partake in their first competitive match since a successful application to join Betfred League One last September.
It will be an interesting contest to see where both sides are at ahead of their respective campaigns, with the winner hosting Daryl Powell’s Wakefield Trinity in the Third Round.
Dewsbury Moor v Dewsbury Rams
There’s a rare meeting of Dewsbury Rams with one of the town’s community teams, Dewsbury Moor – which will be played on neutral territory at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium in Batley.
It is Dewsbury Moor’s first ever game against professional opposition, as the town eagerly anticipates a historic all-Dewsbury tie.
Hunslet ARLFC v West Hull
Two of the National Conference League’s heavyweights will go head-to-head on Saturday.
The teams last faced each other in the league’s semi-finals where Hunslet triumphed 6-18 in Hull, before going on to be crowned NCL champions for a third successive year.
These two sides have been two of the most consistent clubs in the NCL in recent years, so expect a blood and thunder battle – with West Hull undoubtedly out for revenge and Hunslet looking to lay down a marker once again.
There’s everything to play for in the Second Round with the incentive of a home tie against 13-time Challenge Cup winners St Helens awaiting the victor in the Third Round.
It will be the first time Saints have played an amateur team in a competitive match since beating Maryport in the Lancashire Cup in September 1969.
Oldham RLFC v Rochdale Mayfield
There’s a new local derby as NCL’s Rochdale Mayfield make the short trip to face Sean Long’s Oldham – a side who were promoted to the second tier last year.
Three-time Challenge Cup winners Oldham haven’t progressed to the Third Round since 2016.
Mayfield, who have participated in the Challenge Cup since 1999, have never made it past the Third Round.
What can we expect in this Round Two tie?
Whitehaven RLFC v Swinton Lions
There’s a tasty all-League One clash between Whitehaven and Swinton Lions at the weekend.
Both teams are preparing for life in the third tier following last year's relegation from the Championship and will be hoping to put their pre-season preparations into practice.
Their last two meetings have been extremely close with Whitehaven pipping both wins by just two points – will we see another tight encounter?
More details on the Second Round can be found here.
Find out who the winners of Round Two will face – Third Round draw details can be found here.
Betfred Challenge Cup Second Round fixtures:
Saturday January 25:
1230pm - London Broncos v Goole Vikings (Rosslyn Park RFC, live on BBC Sport)
2pm - Dewsbury Moor v Dewsbury Rams (at Fox’s Biscuits Stadium, Batley), Hunslet ARLFC v West Hull, Lock Lane v Hunslet RLFC, Waterhead Warriors v Featherstone Rovers (at Featherstone), Wests Warriors v British Army (Wasps RFC), York Acorn v Oulton Raiders
3pm – Whitehaven v Swinton Lions
Sunday January 26:
1230pm - Oldham v Rochdale Mayfield
1pm - Royal Navy v Workington Town (United Services Sports Ground, Portsmouth – live on BFBS)
2pm - Blackbrook v Ince Rose Bridge, Midlands Hurricanes v Siddal
3pm - Barrow Raiders v Crosfields, Bradford Bulls v Doncaster, Cornwall v North Wales Crusaders, Halifax Panthers v Thatto Heath Crusaders, Newcastle Thunder v Batley Bulldogs (at Blaydon RUFC), Rochdale Hornets v Widnes Vikings, Sheffield Eagles v West Bowling
Sunday February 2:
Keighley Cougars v York Knights (3pm, live on The Sportsman)
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!
