Round Three the Betfred Challenge Cup gets underway this weekend, and this year, the 12 Betfred Super League clubs have entered at an earlier stage, along with the Betfred Championship and Betfred League One sides.
This means that three community clubs have secured glamour ties with top flight opposition, with a long list of enticing match ups coming your way!
There are a total of sixteen ties taking place from Friday (31 January) to Sunday (2 February), with three set to be televised between BBC Sport and The Sportsman.
Who will make the last 16?
There are three ties taking place on Friday starting with York Knights v Hull KR live on The Sportsman. It’s a rematch of the recent and historic ‘Amsterdam Challenge’, in which York produced a 26-12 victory over a youthful KR outfit.
The Robins are expected to name a stronger side this time around, but both teams mean business in 2025, and will be looking to showcase themselves with just a week to go until their respective league campaigns.
Hull KR, who have reached two finals in the last ten years, will be hoping to finally achieve some long-awaited silverware, but standing in their way, is a strong Knights side led by Mark Applegarth.
Therefore, we should look forward to a competitive contest.
Then, Sheffield Eagles will take on the current holders Wigan Warriors, who begin their mission to retain the trophy. It’s a tie that always captures the attention of many, following arguably the biggest Challenge Cup upset in history when the Eagles beat Wigan 17-8 at Wembley (1998).
They did face one another in the cup last year, however – with Sheffield travelling to Wigan and pushing them all the way, before eventually, the Champions proved too strong and ran riot in the closing stages. This time, the Eagles get their chance on home soil against the Champions – will we see another blistering battle?
The third game on Friday night sees the 2023 Challenge Cup winners Leigh Leopards make a trip to Workington. The Leopards haven’t met with Town since 2022 in the Championship competition where they have won their last ten meetings with the Cumbrian side.
On Saturday, there’s a sea of community v Super League ties, where the magic of the cup is its most encapsulated.
Southern Conference League’s Wests Warriors have been rewarded with the chance to play Super League giants Leeds Rhinos at AMT Headingley, while National Conference League sides West Hull and York Acorn will take their fixtures to neutral venues.
West Hull are keeping it local and will host 13-time Challenge Cup winners St Helens at the home of Hull KR, Sewell Group Craven Park. Meanwhile, Acorn will take on Hull FC at Featherstone Rovers’ Millenium Stadium, who won the cup back-to-back in 2016 and 2017, and will be taking on community club opposition for the first time since the 1998 season.
It’s a rare opportunity to these amateur sides and their fans, as they prepare to test themselves against some of the biggest names in the sport and enjoy their historic days.
Goole Vikings, who produced a shock win against London Broncos in the Second Round, will travel to face Wakefield Trinity who begin their quest to a Wembley final.
The Vikings beat the Broncos 17-10, winning their first ever professional match, so will be more than fired up for their game against a resurged Trinity.
The televised pick for Saturday is Halifax Panthers v Catalans Dragons (live on The Sportsman). ‘Fax hosted the Dragons in the Sixth Round last year, with Steve McNamara’s men dominating the match 4-40. The French side will make a second successive trip to The Shay this weekend.
Elsewhere, last year’s Finalists, Warrington Wolves, will go to Whitehaven for the first time since 2004 – determined to go one step further in 2025.
On Sunday, there’s the mouthwatering clash between Bradford Bulls and Castleford Tigers, live on BBC Sport.
Both the West Yorkshire clubs have a rich history in the competition, with the last of Bradford’s five Challenge Cup triumphs coming in 2003 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, and the Tigers having won the competition four times, the last of them at Wembley in 1986 – although they have reached three Wembley Finals since then, most recently in 2021.
The tie will be given added intrigue by the clubs’ coaching appointments for the 2025 season. Brian Noble, who was in charge of that last cup triumph for Bradford in 2003 against Leeds Rhinos, has returned to the Bulls as head coach as they plot a return to the Super League.
Meanwhile the Tigers have appointed Danny McGuire, a member of the Leeds team beaten by Bradford in 2003, and a serial trophy winner himself.
The two sides haven’t faced each other since 2014 when the Bulls were last in the top flight. And the Bulls are already known for causing a Challenge Cup upset against Super League opposition – perhaps most notably in 2019, when they knocked out Leeds Rhinos on home soil in dramatic fashion. Can they do it again on Sunday? You won’t want to miss this one.
The Challenge Cup has cooked up a Heaven Woollen derby in Round Three, as Batley Bulldogs host Dewsbury Rams – and it’s the only time they could potentially play each other this year, following Dewsbury’s drop into League One. It’s a local derby that never disappoints!
The fourth community team, Ince Rose Bridge’s Challenge Cup adventure continues away at Featherstone. Interestingly, there have been 34 amateur teams to inflict Challenge Cup Cup defeat on semi-professional opposition since the 1993-1994 season, but could Ince Rose Bridge push a professional Rovers outfit all the way?
Also on Sunday, Super League is on route to the Midlands as Salford Red Devils visit the Hurricanes.
New ground is set to broken for Rugby League in the Midlands this weekend as the region’s only professional Rugby League club hosts top tier opposition for the first time.
Marc Sneyd also needs just seven points to reach 2,500 for his career – could he reach this magical milestone in Round Three of the Challenge Cup?
Finally, Elsewhere, North Wales Crusaders welcome Widnes Vikings and Oldham face Barrow Raiders.
Hunslet also have the pleasure of hosting Huddersfield Giants. The sides haven’t played against each other since 2003 in Round 4 of the Challenge Cup, where Hunslet pipped an 18-14 win.
The Giants have already fallen to defeat in their pre-season friendlies against Featherstone and Bradford so far – will a newly promoted Hunslet aim to pull off a massive upset?
Expect the unexpected in the Betfred Challenge Cup!
Betfred Challenge Cup Round Three fixtures:
Friday February 7
- Workington Town v Leigh Leopards, KO 7.30pm
- Sheffield Eagles v Wigan Warriors, KO 7.30pm
- Keighley Cougars or York Knights v Hull KR, KO 7.30pm - live on The Sportsman
Saturday February 8
- Wests Warriors v Leeds Rhinos, KO 12pm
- York Acorn v Hull FC, KO 2pm
- West Hull v St Helens, KO 2pm
- Goole Vikings v Wakefield Trinity, KO 3pm
- Halifax Panthers v Catalans Dragons, KO 12pm - live on The Sportsman
- Whitehaven v Warrington Wolves, KO 3pm
Sunday February 9
- Bradford Bulls v Castleford Tigers, KO 1pm - live on BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport/via the Red Button
- Batley Bulldogs v Dewsbury Rams, KO 2pm
- Featherstone Rovers v Ince Rose Bridge, KO 2pm
- Midlands Hurricanes v Salford Red Devils, KO 2pm
- North Wales Crusaders v Widnes Vikings, KO 2.30pm
- Oldham RLFC v Barrow Raiders, KO 3pm
- Hunslet RLFC v Huddersfield Giants, KO 3pm
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!
