2020 Challenge Cup Sixth Round and Quarter Finals Draw




With the Canadian based side Toronto Wolfpack already out of the competition, another five sides yesterday announced their decision to withdraw from the 2020 Challenge Cup, plunging the RFL and remaining clubs into confusion.
A decision was quickly agreed with the BBC, sponsors Coral, and the clubs themselves to salvage the competition by staging a re-draw which occurred tonight and was broadcast live on the OuRLeague site.
The remaining ten Super League sides, minus the Wolfpack and Huddersfield Giants, who had previously been eliminated in the fifth round at the hands of the Toronto team.
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The cup has been losing its magic since the advent of the Grand Final, followed by the closure of Wembley for 7 years. The continually dwindling gates are evidence of this. It’s nobody’s fault, but this re-draw further erodes this credibility. The possibility of winning the Cup having played just 3 matches is a joke.

So instead for being drawn against Hull KR, the re-draw has now given us a game against Hull KR - Wow

What a pointless post. The only alternative, other than scrapping the cup for this year which would have cost the game money and broken a host of contractual obligations, would be to keep the existing draw and give a series of teams byes to the next round (and one club a bye to the semis). No doubt you'd have called that "a joke" as well.

Life is difficult at the moment; that doesn't make the solutions to the difficulties a joke, it's just people trying to do the best with what they have. This was the least worst option.

The point is that while Covid 19 is nobody’s fault, and the RFL has done its best in a difficult situation, the magic of the CC is disappearing. Attendances over many years prove this. To reinvigorate this competition is one of the game’s biggest challenges once things return to normal.

Return the cup to its traditional time of year, that would be a good start.

Stop talking sense...

I'll be banned from Substandard.com for stuff like that...

According to people on here there was only Toronto not playing so why was it re-drawn anyway???

Weren’t there some Championship teams left?

After the withdrawal of Toronto and the Championship teams there were ten sides left. There really wasn't much option other than doing a re-draw.
Abandoning wasn't practical or desirable either given the TV commitments to the BBC and the national TV coverage which was also important to the competition sponsor and to club sponsors.

Week of super league and the cup returns

Briscoe
Newman
Hurrell
Handley
Lui
Gale
Seumanufagai
Leeming
Prior
Mellor
Martin
Sutcliffe
Myler
Cuthbertson
Oledzki
Mclelland
Briscoe
Donaldson
Holroyd
Walters
O’Connor

My guess at 21 man squad

Myler
T.Briscoe
Newman
Hurrell
Handley
Lui
Gale
Oldezki
Leeming
Cuthbertson
Mellor
Martin
Prior

Subs

Seumanufagai
L.Sutcliffe
Donaldson
Holroyd

That would be my 17, Seumanufagai needs to work on his fitness as he can't just keep putting out 20 minute a game him coming off bench could probably suit him and us as a team. Think we should have enough to turn KR over they have been playing ok last few weeks but haven't got results well need to turn up with right attitude for this game and can't expect to walk over them.

I can see McLelland being in 17 as he can help cover hooker.

Myler
L Briscoe Newman Sutcliffe Handley
Lui Gale
Oledzki Leeming Prior
Martin Mellor
Donaldson

Walters, O’Connor, Holroyd, Mclelland

Cuthbertson, Seumanufagai, Hurrell, T Briscoe rested for the Thursday afternoon game.

Might be more missing yet. A Leeds player has tested positive for Covid and will have to see what track n trace brings up for the rest of the squad which could mean 14 day stand downs for all concerned couldn’t it?

I’m wondering whether the club knew this before making the 21 man squad today, meaning them 3 have already dropped out?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hullda ... 521553.amp

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hullda ... 521553.amp

Hurrell, Briscoe and Ava don't need resting. Konrad has just been off with a hamstring injury and the others need match fitness.

I can't see Agar picking such an inexperienced bench. It will either be Walters or O'connor to make way for Ava preferably for mine it will be Walters to get the nod.

Interesting that muizz seems to have dropped off the radar,, Agars not mentioned him once.

For mine we need to go with full strength team to seek a semi final place. With this weird year all sorts of strange things could happen.

Agreed. With Warry playing Saints and Hull playing Wigan tomorrow, there could be a decent shot at a final.