THE Conference Challenge Trophy will, as TotalRL.Com revealed last week, and as confirmed in tomorrow’s League Express, not be contested in 2018.
The Rugby Football League’s Development and Public Affairs Director Sarah-Jane Gray advised, shortly after the relevant pages of League Express had gone to print: “Following feedback from clubs, and from players through the player surveys (especially around season length), the competition will not run this year.
“We do, however, intend to refresh the competition, maximise the potential in it, and get it back in and streamed for 2019.”
The tournament, which was launched in 2012, has been limited to teams in the Kingstone Press Cider National Conference League and the now-defunct Conference League South.
Entry has, over the last six years, been voluntary, and many teams have chosen not to be involved, while a number of ties have been conceded in recent seasons.
The slots reserved in the calendar for ties will now be used for backlog NCL fixtures.
Leigh Miners Rangers won three of the first four finals, while current holders Hunslet Club Parkside have been involved in the last two deciders.
The Roll of Honour is:
2012: Leigh Miners Rangers 32 Egremont Rangers 24
2013: Leigh Miners Rangers 42 Wigan St Patrick’s 14
2014: West Hull 36 East Leeds 16
2015: Leigh Miners Rangers 32 Wath Brow Hornets 22
2016: Rochdale Mayfield 24 Hunslet Club Parkside 20
2017: Hunslet Club Parkside 22 Wigan St Patrick’s 0
