THE draws have been made for the third round of the men’s Challenge Cup and the group stage for the women’s competition.
Following a change to the format, the men’s third-round draw saw the 12 Super League clubs enter at an earlier stage to previous years, with a seeded draw taking place to guarantee each side was drawn away to one of the 20 second-round winners.
After the postponement of 14 out of the 17 first-round ties scheduled for the past weekend, the draw featured 31 community sides as well as 23 teams from the Championship and League One.
The draw started with the one ball being drawn to face each one the 12 Super League clubs, before the final eight balls completed the 16 ties for round three, due to be played between 7-9 February.
Men’s Challenge Cup Third Round:
London Broncos/Goole Vikings vs Wakefield Trinity
GB Police/York Acorn/London Chargers/Oulton Raiders vs Hull FC
Bradford Bulls/Doncaster vs Castleford Tigers
Lock Lane/Doncaster/Toll Bar/Hunslet RLFC vs Huddersfield Giants
Wests Warriors/British Army/RAF vs Leeds Rhinos
Halifax Panthers/Thatto Heath/Orrell St James vs Catalans Dragons
Stanley Rangers/Hunslet ARlFC/West Hull/Edinburgh Eagles vs St Helens
Mirfield/Royal Navy/Workington Town vs Warrington Wolves
Midlands Hurricanes/Siddal vs Salford Red Devils
Whitehaven/Swinton Lions vs Warrington Wolves
Keighley Cougars/York Knights vs Hull KR
Sheffield Eagles/West Bowling/Cutsyke Raiders vs Wigan Warriors
Oldham/Rochdale Mayfield/Telford Raiders vs Barrow Raiders/Crossfields/Maryport
Newcastle Thunder/Batley Bulldogs vs Dewsbury Moor/Haresfinch/Dewsbury Rams
Cornwall/North Wales Crusaders vs Rochdale Hornets/Widnes Vikings
Waterhead Warriors/Leigh Miners/Featherstone Rovers vs Blackbrook/Longhorns/Ince Rose Bridge
The women’s competition begins with a group phase, which will see eight Super League sides and four teams from the Championship drawn into four seeded groups of three, giving opportunity for two teams to qualify for the quarter-finals.
The draw was seeded with one of last season’s top four teams – Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, York Valkyrie and holders St Helens – in each group, alongside two teams chosen from the remaining eight.
Saints will face Warrington Wolves and Cardiff Demons in Group 1 while York are in Group 2 alongside Featherstone Rovers and Huddersfield Giants.
Leeds were drawn in Group 3 alongside Leigh Leopards and Sheffield Eagles, and Wigan will take on Barrow Raiders and London Broncos in Group 4.
