Bradford Bulls will begin life in the third tier of British rugby league with a mouthwatering trip to promotion rivals York City Knights, it has been confirmed.
The Bulls, who were relegated from the Championship last season, will travel to Bootham Crescent to face James Ford’s side in the first weekend of the season in the standout game of the opening round of the 2018 League 1 campaign.
The opening weekend will see a further six games take place, with Oldham beginning life back in League 1 away at Whitehaven, whilst Doncaster take on Coventry Bears.
Keighley Cougars take on Leon Pryce’s Workington Town and Hemel Stags come up against Hunslet. The first weekend will also see two games take place in Wales, as North Wales Crusaders face London Skolars and new boys West Wales Raiders take on 2017 play-off semi-finalists Newcastle Thunder.
The first Cumbrian derby of the season will take place at the end of March in Round Five of the competition when Whitehaven host Workington. That weekend will also see the first match up between North Wales Crusaders and the West Wales Raiders.
Newcastle Thunder will continue with their annual tradition of hosting a league game at home on the Friday evening of the Magic Weekend, when they take on Bradford on May 18. As is traditional also, London Skolars will host Keighley Cougars for the annual Friday Night Lights match, the day before the Challenge Cup Final on 24 August.
The 2018 League 1 competition will see 14 teams play each other home and away, with the League Champions granted automatic promotion to the Championship and a play-off system involving the teams finishing 2nd – 5th to determine the second promoted team.
For the full fixtures, visit rugby-league.com – and League Express will have full details of the fixtures in Monday’s paper!
