Premier Sports’ coverage of Monday Night Rugby League in the 2022 Betfred Championship will kick off with two blockbuster fixtures both involving Featherstone Rovers.
York’s LNER Community Stadium will be the venue for the first Monday Night game on January 31, as Brian McDermott’s first match as the Rovers’ coach will be a tough trip to James Ford’s City Knights in a repeat of this year’s AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final.
Seven days later, the cameras move to Featherstone’s Millennium Stadium for the visit of Leigh Centurions, another of the clubs favoured to challenge for promotion following their relegation from the Betfred Super League in 2021.
Each club’s first home game in the Betfred Championship and League 1 competitions have been announced this afternoon, ahead of the release of the full fixtures list tomorrow at 3pm.
Leigh will kick off the season with an attractive Saturday afternoon fixture against the Whitehaven team who had such a memorable run to the Betfred Championship Play-Offs in 2021.
Then on Sunday there are five games including high-profile opposition from Widnes Vikings for London Broncos in their first match at The Cherry Red Records Stadium, the home of AFC Wimbledon formerly known as Plough Lane.
Barrow Raiders and Workington Town, the two clubs promoted from Betfred League 1 in 2021, open up with home games in Cumbria against Sheffield Eagles and Newcastle Thunder respectively, while Dewsbury Rams host Bradford Bulls and Batley Bulldogs face Halifax Panthers in a meeting of the two teams who came within 80 minutes of the Million Pound Game in 2021.
Sheffield Eagles requested a delay before their first home game as work continues on Olympic Legacy Park, so they have been scheduled four away fixtures before they host Workington Town on Sunday March 6.
The Betfred League 1 season kicks off on Saturday March 26, with London Skolars hosting Hunslet, before Midlands Hurricanes make their debut at Doncaster the following day.
The Hurricanes are one of two new names in the competition in 2022, following the rebrand of the Coventry Bears, and will play their first game at Portway, the Birmingham ground they will share this season, against Swinton Lions on April 3.
The other newcomers, Cornwall, have a bye on the opening weekend then kick off against North Wales Crusaders at Stadiwm Zip World in Colwyn Bay on Saturday April 2, before they welcome Midlands Hurricanes for their first home game on Sunday April 10.
Opening fixtures 2022
Betfred Championship
Saturday January 29: Leigh Centurions v Whitehaven (3pm)
Sunday January 30: Barrow Raiders v Sheffield Eagles (3pm), Batley Bulldogs v Halifax Panthers (3pm), Dewsbury Rams v Bradford Bulls (3pm), London Broncos v Widnes Vikings (3pm), Workington Town v Newcastle Thunder (2pm)
Monday January 31: York City Knights v Featherstone Rovers (745pm – LIVE ON PREMIER SPORTS)
Betfred League 1
Round One
Saturday March 26: London Skolars v Hunslet (3pm)
Sunday March 27: Doncaster v Midlands Hurricanes (3pm), Oldham v Keighley Cougars (3pm), Rochdale Hornets v North Wales Crusaders (3pm), Swinton Lions v West Wales Raiders (3pm)
