The draw for the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup First Round proper was conducted at the Betfred Championship and Betfred League One Season Launch this morning, and Sheffield Eagles will begin their quest to reach a record third 1895 Cup Final appearance with a South Yorkshire derby against Doncaster.
The Eagles are one of only two clubs to have played in more than one of the previous finals of the knockout competition for non-Super League clubs, having won the inaugural competition in 2019 and lost to Wakefield Trinity in last year’s Final.
Featherstone Rovers are the other, having beaten York in the 2021 Final then losing to Leigh at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2022, and they also have home advantage in the First Round against one of the qualifiers from Betfred League One.
The 11 League One clubs will kick off the competition next month with two preliminary rounds, while the 12 English Betfred Championship clubs were seeded into the First Round proper.
London Broncos, who return to the competition after a one-year absence when they were playing in Betfred Super League last season, will host either Workington Town or Dewsbury Rams.
Oldham, who hosted the draw in the Joe Royle Stand at Boundary Park, also have home advantage and could face their local rivals Rochdale Hornets – but only if they come through preliminary round ties against Cornwall and Swinton Lions.
The Preliminary Round One will take place on the weekend of February 1/2 and the ties are:
Midlands Hurricanes v Whitehaven RLFC, Rochdale Hornets v Cornwall, Newcastle Thunder v North Wales Crusaders
The Preliminary Round Two will take place on the weekend of February 15/16 and the ties are:
Goole Vikings v Newcastle Thunder or North Wales Crusaders, Workington Town v Dewsbury Rams, Rochdale Hornets or Cornwall RLFC v Swinton Lions, Keighley Cougars v Midlands Hurricanes or Whitehaven RLFC
AB Sundecks 1895 Cup First Round draw (ties to be played weekend of March 1/2):
Batley Bulldogs v Bradford Bulls, Sheffield Eagles v Doncaster, Hunslet v Widnes Vikings, London Broncos v Workington Town or Dewsbury Rams, York Knights v Halifax Panthers, Goole Vikings, Newcastle Thunder or North Wales Crusaders v Barrow Raiders, Featherstone Rovers v Keighley Cougars, Midlands Hurricanes or Whitehaven, Oldham v Rochdale Hornets, Cornwall or Swinton Lions
Quarter-finals: weekend of 5-6 April
Semi-finals: weekend of 17-18 May
Final: Saturday 7 June (Wembley Stadium)
