THE draw for the first round of the 2015 Challenge Cup will be made at Wembley on Thursday (8 January).
Whilst the final, which will take place on Saturday 29 August, will almost certainly involve two of the sport’s leading sides, early interest will be highest among the 40 grassroots teams that will contest the opening stage on the weekend of 31 January and 1 February. And the draw for the first round of the competition will be made at Wembley Stadium on Thursday 8 January at 12.45pm.
All three Armed Forces teams are included, together with the British Police and two student sides. The Conference League South has representation from Leicester and Nottingham, while the Harry Jepson winners South West London Chargers have also been nominated.
There is also one team from each of Scotland, Wales, Cumbria and the North West Men’s Leagues.
The 20 first round survivors will contest round two on the weekend of 14-15 February. The ten survivors will then take on Kingstone Press League 1 sides in round three on 7-8 March, and Kingstone Press Championship clubs enter at the round four stage on 21-22 April.
Last season’s bottom four teams in the First Utility Super League enter in round five on 18-19 April, and the top eight come in at round six, on 16-17 May.
Challenge Cup first round clubs: Aberdeen Warriors, Blackbrook, East Leeds, Egremont Rangers, Elland, Featherstone Lions, Great Britain Police, Hull Dockers, Hunslet Parkside (previously Old Boys), Hunslet Warriors, Kells, Leeds Beckett University, Leicester Storm, Leigh Miners Rangers, Lock Lane, Loughborough University, Myton Warriors, Normanton Knights, Oulton Raiders, Queens, Rochdale Mayfield, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Saddleworth Rangers, Scarborough Pirates, Sharlston Rovers, Shaw Cross Sharks, Siddal, Skirlaugh, South West London Chargers, Thatto Heath Crusaders, The Army, Valley Cougars, Walney Central, Wath Brow Hornets, West Hull, Widnes West Bank, Wigan St Judes, York Acorn.