THE Sportsman have selected the Second Round tie between Keighley Cougars and York Knights as their second featured match of the 2025 Betfred Challenge Cup – meaning three ties will be streamed live over the next two weekends.
The action will kick off this Saturday lunchtime (1230pm) at Rosslyn Park RFC with live coverage on BBC Sport (iPlayer, Red Button and website) of an historic fixture between London Broncos and Goole Vikings – the Vikings’ first competitive match since their successful application to join Betfred League One.
With the 12 Betfred Super League clubs joining the Road to Wembley at the Third Round stage this year, the Broncos and the Vikings know that Saturday’s winners will earn a home tie against Wakefield Trinity next month – with Daryl Powell’s Trinity preparing for their return to the Super League after a one-season absence.
There are seven more ties on Saturday afternoon, including a rare meeting of Dewsbury Rams with one of the town’s community teams, Dewsbury Moor – which will be played on neutral territory at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium in nearby Batley.
As a result of the new competition format, three community teams are guaranteed to secure a tie against Super League opposition in the Third Round.
Wests Warriors host the British Army at their Wasps RFC base in west London with the winners to face Leeds Rhinos; York Acorn host Oulton Raiders with the winners to face Hull FC; and Hunslet ARLFC and West Hull, two of the most consistent clubs in the National Conference League over many years, have the incentive of a tie against St Helens.
On Sunday lunchtime (1pm), Workington Town will face the Royal Navy at their Portsmouth base after the long trek from the West Cumbrian coast – and BFBS (the British Forces Broadcasting Services) have confirmed live coverage of that game, after attracting more than 15,000 views for their streaming of the British Army’s victory over the RAF in the First Round.
Sunday’s winners on the south coast will earn a home Third Round tie against Adrian Lam’s Leigh Leopards, the 2023 Wembley winners.
Sunday’s other ties include the entry to the competition of a number of clubs with an impressive Challenge Cup pedigree including Bradford Bulls, who host Doncaster, and Widnes Vikings, who make the short trip to Rochdale Hornets – while there will again be a significant regional spread as Cornwall host North Wales Crusaders in Penryn, and Newcastle Thunder play Batley Bulldogs at their new base at Blaydon RUFC, around 470 miles away.
That will leave The Sportsman’s selected Second Round tie between Keighley and York to complete the Third Round line-up on Sunday week, February 2.
It has been delayed by a week because York are heading for Amsterdam this weekend to face the 2024 Super League Grand Finalists Hull KR in a pre-season fixture.
And there will be a significant additional incentive for the Cougars and the Knights in their Second Round tie, as the winners will earn a home tie against Hull KR in the last 32.
Betfred Challenge Cup Second Round schedule
Saturday January 25
12.30pm – London Broncos v Goole Vikings (Rosslyn Park RFC, live on BBC Sport)
2pm – Dewsbury Moor v Dewsbury Rams (at Fox’s Biscuits Stadium, Batley), Hunslet ARLFC v West Hull, Lock Lane v Hunslet RLFC, Waterhead Warriors v Featherstone Rovers (at Featherstone), Wests Warriors v British Army (Wasps RFC), York Acorn v Oulton Raiders
3pm – Whitehaven v Swinton Lions
Sunday January 26
12.30pm Oldham v Rochdale Mayfield
1pm Royal Navy v Workington Town (United Services Sports Ground, Portsmouth – live on BFBS)
2pm Blackbrook v Ince Rose Bridge, Midlands Hurricanes v Siddal
3pm Barrow Raiders v Crosfields, Bradford Bulls v Doncaster, Cornwall v North Wales Crusaders, Halifax Panthers v Thatto Heath Crusaders, Newcastle Thunder v Batley Bulldogs (at Blaydon RUFC), Rochdale Hornets v Widnes Vikings, Sheffield Eagles v West Bowling
Sunday February 2
Keighley Cougars v York Knights (3pm, live on The Sportsman)
