Championship Talk: Up for the Cup

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Up for the Cup

THIS weekend sees four Super League clubs enter the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup, providing several Championship and League One sides with the opportunity for a shock.

          The first two games of the weekend, Widnes versus Coventry Bears and Warrington against Bradford Bullstake place on Saturday.

          But York City Knights and Oldham both have Sunday home ties against top flight opposition, and eight other non-Super League sides are looking to progress to the last 16 today.

          York’s home game with rock bottom Catalans Dragons is arguably the tie of the day, and will be streamed live by the BBC.

          The Knights have unveiled a smart heritage shirt for the clash and their recent record of successfully promoting matches should see an above average crowd at Bootham Crescent.

          Although James Ford’s side will undoubtedly be outsiders, the struggling Dragons are hardly high in confidence at present and there is enough top flight experience in the Knights ranks to worry Catalans.

          Oldham’s home game against Hull KR - which is played at their former home of Bower Fold, Stalybridge - is a return leg of the 2016 cup meeting between the clubs, when the Roughyeds stunned their Super League opponents.

          That fact alone will mean that Tim Sheens’ men are on their guard, eager to avoid a repeat of history against the League One club.

          Plenty of that Oldham side are still at the club under the same coach in Scott Naylor, and it has all the ingredients of a cup cracker.

          Elsewhere, Leigh Centurions host London Broncos in a tie between two of the top Championship clubs.

          The Centurions emerged victorious in the recent league meeting between them, and home advantage will make them slight pre-match favourites.

          Another team making a quick return journey to a venue is Toronto Wolfpack, who must play away despite being drawn at home, and that means going back to Craven Park, where Barrow held them to an 8-8 draw in February.

          Raiders lost at home for the first time in two years against Featherstone on Sunday and will be keen to re-establish their fortress reputation as quickly as possible.

          Rovers themselves are unlikely to have it all their own way at Richard Horne’s Doncaster, while Whitehaven’s reward for dumping out Championship Dewsbury is a home clash to another Championship side in Rochdale.

          Don’t rule out a shock in at least one tie of what looks a fascinating round.