Championship Talk: Wembley awaits

CHAMPIONSHIP TALK

fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.

Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.

Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.

Wembley awaits

THE RFL’s bold new 1895 Cup reaches the second round phase this weekend, with the 12 competing Championship clubs joining the four that have progressed from League One.

Five of the matches take place on Sunday and the remaining three on Wednesday, with Bradford and Halifax contesting Saturday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final and Widnes playing Sheffield in a rearranged league game on Friday.

The competition, for those unaware, offers the clubs taking part the chance to reach Wembley and play on the same day as this year’s Challenge Cup final.

It’s a straight knock-out competition which means that you stand just three or four wins away from the national stadium, depending which round you enter in.

       

It was worked out that the 16 remaining clubs - which does not include Toronto and Toulouse - have over 1,000 years of waiting for a Wembley trip between them

       

That ranges from the most recent visitors - Sheffield in 1998 - to Dewsbury, who have not been since 1929.

       

Newcastle, Batley, Rochdale, Swinton, Oldham and Doncaster have never played on the country’s biggest sporting stage.

       

Given the second round draw, at least two of those will be only two wins away from breaking their duck after Sunday afternoon.

       

That should act as a major incentive to those involved, although it’s fair to say that issues around the 1895 Cup have been raised by some.

       

Playing it after the Challenge Cup final has been the main gripe, along with having to sell a significant amount of tickets for clubs to have any chance of making money out of it, plus the lack of a sponsor.

       

For some teams that are either battling against relegation or vying for promotion, it will doubtless also be seen as an unnecessary distraction.

       

But writing the competition off before it’s had a chance to make its mark would be folly, as those who were lambasting Magic Weekend in Liverpool before it took place found out last week.

       

The fact is that the 1895 Cup potentially provides players and coaches with a huge stage to perform on, and that much should be welcomed.

       

There will doubtless be areas of improvement to look at moving forward - the timing of the final and a headline sponsor should be top of that list.

       

But players at this level rarely disappoint in terms of the action on the field, and hopefully the competition will gather some impetus as it unfolds.

1895 Cup second round draw: Leigh Centurions v Workington Town, York City Knights v Newcastle Thunder, Barrow Raiders v Bradford Bulls, Batley Bulldogs v Rochdale Hornets, Widnes Vikings v Featherstone Rovers, Dewsbury Rams v Swinton Lions, Halifax v Sheffield Eagles, Oldham v Doncaster