Can somebody tell me when it is please?

cheers!

Not yet been confirmed, but looking like it will be on BBC Breakfast at some point during the week.

cheers bud...I'll keep my eyes and ears open for the announcement

Maybe even drawn by Susanna Reid? That'll get lefty goldblatt a bit hot under the collar, if nothing else.

Just what is so difficult about arranging the draw, just goes to show what a laughing stock our sport is becoming. No wonder coaches like Tony Smith are tearing their hair out, we are not acting like a professional sport. Come on BBC or RFL whoever get it sorted

can't believe there is NO news on this yet!..WTF!

Do you think it would affect Tony's views on remaining in England the shambles that is the RFL? I would have thought he'd be wanted by a few NRL clubs especially after Trent Robinson and Micheal Maguire doing so well on their return from super league.

I don't think he will go to the NRL. He is a British citizen and as he has said before his family is settled and happy in Yorkshire. His disdain for Red Hall is nothing new, I think it probably goes back to a fall out during his time as GB coach like his long running feud with Sky.

You can't blame the RFL, this 'draw' system is still very new and will take time to perfect. Remember, we only started doing it in 1897, be patient and give it time, I'm sure the RFL will iron out the creases.

Never even considered TS leaving just raised the point about our game in general, been watching since mid 70s and cannot remember a time when there are so many issues with our game. If they can't even arrange a draw of the most important cup competition in advance how can we trust the future of our game in their hands

Any news when this will be guys? cant find any info anywhere, and my tweets have been ignored!!

The delay is because, after extensive consultation with all stakeholders, a change in the way the draw is to be made has been agreed. The purpose of the change is to make sure that each 'draw' from the bag is truly competitive and open to all clubs, and that excitement and intensity in the draw will be maintained right until the end of the process.

The draw will work like this:

The 8 quarter finalists' tokens will be divided into two groups of four and placed in Bags A and B. A second token for each team will be placed in a third Bag C.

Richard Bacon will draw one token from Bag A, Jimmy Carr will draw one token from Bag B. At the end of four draws, we will have the provisional line up of quarter finals. QF1, QF2, QF3 and QF4.

Graham Norton will then draw from Bag C. Provided that the first team drawn from Bag C matches one of the teams in QF1 ( in the order drawn by Messrs Bacon and Carr ) then that match will go ahead as QF1. If the team drawn by Mr Norton does not match the Carr/Bacon draw, then Norton's draw will be the away team in QF1, and the previously drawn away team will go back into the bag to be redrawn. Norton will then draw another team to match to QF2, with the home team this time being subject to substitution if there's no match. This will continue until Norton has drawn all teams from Bag C.

The revised QF drawn teams will all then have their tokens placed in the National Lottery Draw Machine to see if anyone has won the jackpot.

Excellent

Sounds to simple the RFL will never go for it

You should send that suggestion in to Nigel Wood. Hopefully he wouldn't take it seriously and actually use it but maybe it might actually strike a chord and encourage him to realise what a laughing stock he is turning a once-proud sport into.

2013 had the potential to be a turning point year for the RFL with the opportunities the RLWC can provide. I have lots of confidence that the team charged with running the tournament are doing a good job - but the core RFL seem hellbent on cancelling out the benefits it will provide by busily ruining SL, youth development, the Championships and now the Challenge Cup too.

10/10

Nothing better than Susanna grabbing balls, first thing in the morning.

I'm off for a lie-down, now.
Time too think about Ann Widdecombe. All the blood's rushed from my head.

Ian - you've too much time on your hands !

What could be simpler than televising two games over the weekend with the televised Sunday game finishing at the same time, or slightly later, than the other games. They could then perform the draw live in the studio and get reasoned and sensible contributions from the studio guests and maybe the winning coach and players too.

[size=85Even the RFL could cope with warming or cooling the appropriate balls at short notice[/size



Of course that kind of falls down if you 'sell' the second game to Sky who see the Challenge Cup as so second rate that they can't be bothered televising a match!

Although, the RFL can't make the BBC screen a 2nd game, nor can they force them to extend the programme to screen the draw. What the RFL could do is ensure the game is popular enough to encourage the BBC to want to. But it seems we are now in a vicious circle - declining popularity leading to declining interest from media leading to declining popularity. Going to take vision and leadership to pull RL out of this mess, not qualities in abundance at the RFL, sadly.

seems simple enough

What a mess at every level of the game, SL, academy, amateur and junior.

You should see the genius idea about the mini game. You couldn't make it up.

i wouldn't be surprised if this game isn't running in ten years, we're going to implode.

We'll innovate ourselves to death.

This is getting silly now.

RFL just Tweeted:

We're pleased to confirm that the Tetley's Challenge Cup QF Draw will take place live on BBC Breakfast TV on Saturday, between 7-9 am.