THE third-round Challenge Cup clash between Widnes Vikings and Leeds Rhinos has been selected for live coverage by The Sportsman.
Next Saturday’s clash (February 7, 3pm) at Widnes’ DCBL Stadium will be available on The Sportsman’s YouTube channel and joins the following day’s tie between London Broncos and Bradford Bulls, which was the BBC’s pick, in being streamed.
Widnes and Leeds have won 21 Challenge Cups between them, with the former winning seven titles – the last in 1984 – and the Rhinos winning a 14th in 2020.
But the pair have not met since Leeds’ 34-0 Super League win at Headingley in 2018, with the Vikings relegated that season and now into an eighth successive Championship campaign.
They also met in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup that year, the only knockout tie between them this century, in which Leeds picked up a 23-20 away victory.
Widnes ran out 76-0 winners over Thatto Heath Crusaders to reach round three, when all Super League clubs enter.
The BBC, who get the top choice of matches in each round, opted for the meeting of London, who have targeted a future Super League berth under the high-profile backing of Australian rugby league legend Darren Lockyer, and Bradford ahead of their top-flight return.
It takes place at the Cherry Red Records Stadium in Wimbledon (Sunday, February 8, 3pm).
Bradford have won the Challenge Cup five times, but not since 2003, when Leeds were defeated at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, while the Broncos’ best run in the competition was in 1999, when they reached the final but lost to Leeds at Wembley.
The Broncos are targeting a bumper crowd by offering £10 adult tickets (£5 juniors), and Lockyer’s co-owner Grant Wechsel said: “This is our chance to show everyone how serious we are about the new era here.
“Playing Bradford or any Super League club in the Challenge Cup is a huge opportunity. I know we will give it our best.”