New Challenge Cup format to be reviewed as amateur teams prepare to face giants Rugby league chiefs have defended the right of amateur clubs to aspire to take on Super League opposition in the Betfred Challenge Cup but conceded this season’s revamped format has been far from perfect.
Three clubs from the community game face daunting tasks against top-flight sides on Saturday with West Hull playing St Helens, York Acorn taking on Hull, and London-based Wests Warriors travelling to Headingley to face Leeds in round three.
Wests, who play in the Southern Conference League alongside the likes of Brentwood Eels and Hammersmith Hills Hoists, were originally drawn to host the Rhinos but with their own ground at Acton not up to standard, Leeds stepped in with an offer to switch the game which included an offer to put the Wests squad up for two nights at their Lodge Hotel.
It contrasted sharply with the previous iteration, in which top-flight clubs joined in round five alongside only four remaining non-Super League survivors, and RL Commercial’s managing director Rhodri Jones said a review is already under way to establish the ideal balance moving forward.
Hull’s clash with Acorn will mark the Black-and-White debut of former Leeds half-back Sezer, who has returned to Super League this season after a brief spell back in Australia with Wests Tigers.
