THE 2025 Betfred Challenge Cup kick-starts at the weekend with 16 ties, all involving amateur sides.
There should have been 17 matches but news emerged late on Sunday that Cumbrian outfit Wath Brow Hornets, who were scheduled to travel to Bradford’s West Bowling in a meeting of National Conference League Premier Division clubs, have pulled out of the competition.
West Bowling now have a trip to Sheffield Eagles to look forward to, while the other 32 remaining teams are also aware of the immediate reward for victory as the draw for the second round, which will be played on the weekend of January 25-26, was made at the same time as that for the opening stage.
Lock Lane and Doncaster Toll Bar are therefore aiming for a plum home draw with Championship side Hunslet towards the end of this month, and the Lane’s head coach Paul Couch said of the National Conference League Premiers’ prospects: “We are looking forward to a new challenge, one which will be unusual for us as we will be playing a team from a different league.
“We know how consistent Toll Bar have been over the last few seasons and the chance to take on the semi-pros of Hunslet in the next round is definitely a great incentive for both teams.”
Toll Bar’s Ian Tattersall told League Express: “This is our third successive season in the Challenge Cup and a real reward for the players. It illustrates the consistency we’ve shown over that period in the Yorkshire Men’s League.
“The tie is our first away fixture in the Challenge Cup and it will certainly be a tough match. We are fully aware of the task ahead of us and as a group we are working hard to prepare as well as we can.”
He concluded: “It’s a short trip for us so we’re expecting a decent following which should add to what should be a good crowd and great atmosphere. I’m sure the lads will raise their game – I think everyone should expect a tough encounter.”
Edinburgh travel to NCL giants West Hull and the Eagles’ Andrew McPhail said: “When we were crowned Scottish champions to earn our place in the 2025 Challenge Cup, our aim was to prove that our first round victory at Cumbrians Lowca in the 2024 Challenge Cup was not a one-off.
“The match against West Hull gives us an opportunity to showcase the development of the game in Scotland, where the overall aim is to raise the standard to a point where Scottish teams regularly advance beyond the first round.”
He added: “Whilst we would have hoped for a more favourable draw we recognise that playing one of the top community teams in the country offers us a valuable opportunity to test the standard of our game and use it to identify areas for improvement to progress both on and off the field.”
Siddal, who were runners-up to Grand Final winners Hunslet ARLFC in the NCL in 2024, nevertheless scooped the Minor Premiership by finishing top of the table. The Halifax outfit are at Southern Conference League champions Hammersmith Hills Hoists and official Paul Hirst said: “We’ve been very lucky over the last couple of years with prime Challenge Cup clashes at home against Sheffield Eagles and, last year, Wakefield Trinity.
“The draw hasn’t been the kindest in 2025 as regards travel and logistics, with a journey to west London for a 5pm kick-off on a Saturday in January.
“But that’s no excuse and we will travel down and give the fullest respect to our hosts Hammersmith Hills Hoists, who we face for the first time in the club’s history.
“We know from their recent cup exploits, and from them being Southern Conference League champions, that the game will be a very tough test.”
Elsewhere, St Helens side Blackbrook of the North West Men’s League visit Welsh club Aberavon Fighting Irish on Sunday. The Brook’s Dave Hunt said: “We were initially surprised – but delighted – to be invited into the RFL’s premier cup competition.
“Like any team hoped for a home draw but the next best thing is drawing a team you have never been to before, which is certainly the case with the Fighting Irish.
“It’s an exciting draw and one we’re looking forward to. Our players returned to pre-season early and have bought into the daunting trip to South Wales. Aberavon are an unknown quantity to us but we’re expecting them to be a great side and it’s going to be an exciting game.”
Ince Rose Bridge narrowly missed out to Dewsbury Moor Maroons in last season’s NCL Division One promotion play-off final. The club has welcomed back several old faces and have also signed a number of promising youngsters.
Opponents Longhorns, of Ireland, will travel to Ince despite being drawn first out of the hat, as part of their entry requirements, and the Wigan outfit’s head coach Darren Blakeley admitted: “They’re very much an unknown to us.
“I’ve watched two or three videos and there’s been a complete mix of players so we don’t know what to expect. They could be rough and tough rugby union lads, a more lightweight side, or maybe a mix. We simply don’t know, which is in some ways no bad thing as our lads won’t be able to have any preconceived ideas. We’ll simply focus on ourselves, and on our own game.”
Great Britain Police will entertain York Acorn, of the NCL, at St Helens-based Portico Panthers in another Sunday fixture. Manager Chris Cowling reflected: “The Challenge Cup is always a tremendous competition and as a representative team it’s great for us to test ourselves against different opposition.
“We know that York Acorn are a good side and we expect this to be a very tough game. However, we are looking forward to the challenge and to hopefully cause an upset.”
2024 Southern Conference Grand Final runners-up Wests Warriors, who battled through to the third round last season before slipping at old rivals Hammersmith, travel on Sunday to fellow SCL outfit Eastern Rhinos.
The Colchester-based outfit’s coach Peter Le Marquand said: “We are relishing the opportunity of participating in the Challenge Cup for the first time. The Rhinos have been indifferent about the draw and are just happy to be at home and pleased to be in the competition. There was, though, some excitement before the draw about potentially playing someone new, maybe from the heartlands.
“Instead we welcome our old friends Wests Warriors, who have had more success in recent times with the last Rhinos win coming in June 2018 with a 20-16 victory in the old London Premier League.
“There have been a few close games and some convincing wins for the Warriors since, so the Rhinos will be looked at as underdogs.”
He continued: “However, we have had the players in for training earlier than ever before to prepare so the team will be looking to perform well and will be looking to make it to round two.”
The BBC, meanwhile, has opted for the tie between Waterhead Warriors and Leigh Miners Rangers (both of whom have been promoted to the NCL’s top flight) for live coverage. The Saturday fixture kicks off at 2.30pm.
First-round ties are:
Saturday 11 January
British Army v RAF (at Aldershot, 2.00pm)
Crosfields v Maryport (2.00pm)
Dewsbury Moor Maroons v Haresfinch (2.00pm)
Hammersmith Hills Hoists v Siddal (at Chiswick RUFC, 5.00pm)
Lock Lane v Doncaster Toll Bar (2.00pm)
Longhorns v Ince Rose Bridge (at Ince Rose Bridge, 2.30pm)
London Chargers v Oulton Raiders (at Chiswick RUFC, 2.30pm)
Mirfield v Royal Navy (2.00pm)
Rochdale Mayfield v Telford Raiders (2.00pm)
Stanley Rangers v Hunslet ARLFC (2.00pm)
Thatto Heath Crusaders v Orrell St James (2.00pm)
Waterhead Warriors v Leigh Miners Rangers (live on BBC Sport, 12.30pm)
West Bowling walkover v Wath Brow Hornets
West Hull v Edinburgh Eagles (2.00pm)
Sunday 12 January
Aberavon Fighting Irish v Blackbrook (at Aberavon Green Stars RUFC, 1.30pm)
Eastern Rhinos v Wests Warriors (at Colchester Sports Park, 2.30pm)
GB Police v York Acorn (at Portico Panthers, 1.30pm)