Dewsbury 16-28 Toulouse
Featherstone 38-8 Swinton
Halifax 16-28 Leythe
London 36-12 Batley
Rochdale 12-16 Barrow
Sheffield 10-38 T’ronno

Bonus: 7 Kicks

Just made it (crappy laptop)

Dewsbury 18 - 24 Toulouse
Featherstone 36 - 10 Swinton
Halifax 22 - 24 Leythe
London 46 - 08 Batley
Rochdale 12 - 18 Barrow
Sheffield 10 - 52 T’ronno

Bonus: 8 Goals

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here this eventide to lament another sad loss for the once (aspiringly) mighty Leythe.

Another bad day for the side (seemingly collectively caught like a Rabbi in the headlights) and another sad day for the faithful of this flock. Our Doncastrian guest cannot be accused of apostasy (or, at least in the rote words of possibly the “djrunkisht” priest in popular culture, Father Jack Hackett, “Dat would be an ecumenical matter”) but he does have an edge over the indoctrinated of this parish, as he may predict a Centurion loss. As too, it seems, may westleighjim – the winner of this week’s Vicar of Bray Award.

Yea, even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, no evil should we fear for the Middle 8s can STILL be made.

Yea fear not, rejoice and be glad for Bongser brings you good tidings of great joy! L’enfant prodigue est chez nous encore. Whilst it is the wrong region of Canada and Bongseur’s French may not be what it should, after an absence of some time Vancouver Leyther is back and he’s tearing the pred standings up with an attendance mark, four correct victors (2 marks each) a correct margin (+3) and a bonus ball ( for 5). A week’s high of 17 points in total that in a single blow more than doubles his previous tally (even without the extras to come). Bongser tells all most solemnly that there is more rejoicing in The Towers over the return of one truant than over a battery of ever-readies and is most pleased to award a fattened calf 25 further points to this round's winner.

Now let’s hasten steadily (Zulu01’s brinkmanship lived up to his tagline this week – alas SaBadSel didn’t make it (SaBad, so sad)) to the Qu’ran standings. There’s no point doing this in reverse order as there is no hiding that the ongoing ruler of this Asgard is the Thor in all our sides (six weeks at Nº1). Yup, the Dalai lambchop himself:

1. Monsignor Caroli – 117
2. LeytherX111 – 94
3. Wanderer – 89
4. Atomic – 85
5. Bongser -84
6. Zulu01 – 63
7. Vancouver Leyther – 58
8. (Joint – s‘citin’!) Cokey, westleighjim & The Publican – 45 apiece
11. Jack Diggle – 36
12. SaBadSel -16

To complete (for good) this week’s religious theme, there is an ancient volume of illuminated, monastic manuscripts entitled “The Book of Kells”. Next week it will be Kells’ day in the sun as they take on the T'rannies and as we embark on a Challenge Cup special.

Bless You for Reading (Vicar of Dibley paraphrase) and (Dave Allen) may YOUR god go with you

This is better than reading Derek's programme notes,Bongser has a better imagination than Tim Sheens , on why they lost but weren't beaten.Keep up the good work,and yer missionary work in Salford.

“Pathé News (cockadoodledoo): those unwashed Northerners are again planning to bring their illegitimate version of the oval ball game to one of London’s many outrageously over late and overpriced White Elephant & Castle venues, namely one (or rather Mark Twain) Wombley Stadium. The latest eliminator to decide which two sets of ne’er do wells require hosing down before playing ‘neath the pointless architectural orgasm of The Arch takes place this weekend. We now go to our M62 correspondent, Bongser (sweet potatoes, man, I can smell you from here!)”

Thanks, m’lud.

Right! Challenge Cup Round 4 arrives this week and sees the introduction of all the Championship clubs (bar Les Crapauds – wish we could, full stop.) It could be a point fest. Please note, the earliest match takes place on Friday. We’ll only be postulating on the games that include Championship clubs, and here they are:

Friday:
Tie 1: Kells v Trannies

Saturday:
Tie 2: Normanton v Rochdale

Sunday:
Tie 3: Crusaders v Featherstone
Tie 4: Barrow v Sheffield
Tie 5: Batley v Leigh
Tie 6: Halifax v Oldham
Tie 7: Whitehaven v Dewsbury
Tie 8: Workington v London
Tie 9: York v Swinton

Bongser stresses that the above ties are the only ones on which we’ll be predicting. Usual point scoring applies for the correct winners/margins/scorelines but (as many of the ties are one-sided) the Pokemon Bonus will only be awarded for a full “collect ‘em all” nine (in the unlikely event of medium to long term postponements this will be applied to a minimum of six of the above ties).

Now to the Wacky World of Bongser’s Bonus Bonanza and what a bonanza it could be! Cup weekend can throw up some surprises as higher ranked clubs may field weakened teams and underestimate the “chance to shine esprit de corps” of their opponents. It’s a lottery and so will be the mega bonus points on offer. Remember, you’ve got to be in it to win it.



IF AND ONLY IF a poster correctly predicts one of the winners, he/she will then be entitled to another FIVE points if they correctly predict that victor’s opponents in Round 5. Complete chance here, no skill involved (assuming that you go for the right winner initially).

To simplify things, you need only predict the tie whose winners will face yours. So (ever the optimist), were you to post;
Batley 00-100 Leigh (v Tie 9)
you would mean that Leigh would be drawn to face the winners of the York v Swinton tie (no need to specify the home turf).

Bongser will provide a template on his next post to avoid predders incurring repetitive stress injuries.

Bear in mind that there are other ties (see below) and that Hull KR, Cats, Widnes & Wire (if Bongser recalls the seedings correctly) will be joining the party. The new entrants will be, albeit weirdly, assigned tie numbers too.

DO NOT PREDICT ON THE BELOW BARRING ROUND FIVE PREDICTED DRAW!!!!

Tie 10: Doncaster (hmm) v Newcastle
Tie 11: Coventry v Pilkington
Tie 12: Hunslet v Bradford
Tie 13: Catalans
Tie 14: Hull KR
Tie 15: Warrington
Tie 16: Widnes

Ts & Cs: On the “will face” side of the preds, no “v Tie #” may be duplicated, if it were to be, only the first would be marked. Bongser is smirking as he types this rider as he recalls a rock fan at school that filled in a multiple choice paper of 40 questions by choosing A-C-D-C ten times over and, against all odds (onto Phil Collins now) somehow managed to score zero.



Back to the studio.

“Are you drunk, Bongser?”

As a judge.

“Don’t you mean ‘As a Lord’?”

Yes, mi Lord!

“Northerners!!”

Template as promised:

Tie 1: Kells XX-XX Trannies (v Tie #)
Tie 2: Normanton XX-XX Rochdale (v Tie #)
Tie 3: Crusaders XX-XX Featherstone (v Tie #)
Tie 4: Barrow XX-XX Sheffield (v Tie #)
Tie 5: Batley XX-XX Leigh (v Tie #)
Tie 6: Halifax XX-XX Oldham (v Tie #)
Tie 7: Whitehaven XX-XX Dewsbury (v Tie #)
Tie 8: Workington XX-XX London (v Tie #)
Tie 9: York XX-XX Swinton (v Tie #)

The best of luck

Is this the application form for the Leigh Head Coach job ? - it would certainly give you a decent short list - even understanding what’s required would give you a highly logical candidate. Suggest all current incumbents take it.

Evenin' Jack. Bongser can be a tad "creative" when half seas over. However he has read his post(s) over and thinks that (ignoring the nonsense that was purely for colour) the instructions are reasonably clear. What's more, judging by your last post (not the one with the bugle), you are comfortably on the 100+ side of the IQ scale. So just stop prannocking about and post your preds - there'll be no further reminder for you this week.

Bongser takes his lead as question setter from Paul W on the Bulls forum and Uncle Rico on the Wire one (light blue touchpaper and stand well back) so chooses to be fashionably late - but never last.

Kells 12 Toronto 32 (v tie 5)
Normanton 16 Rochdale 28 (v tie 15)
Crusaders 10 Fev 43 (v tie 14)
Barrow 28 Sheffield 16 (v tie 6)
Batley 18 Leigh 30 ( v tie 7)
Fax 32 Oldham 12 ( v tie 12)
Haven 16 Dewsbury 18 ( v tie 13)
Workington 14 London 54 ( v tie 16)
York 22 Swinton 26 ( v tie 11)

My entry, I think its the correct way for this round

Tie 1: Kells 4-44 Trannies (v Tie 15)
Tie 2: Normanton 10-28 Rochdale (v Tie 7)
Tie 3: Crusaders 6-32 Featherstone (v Tie 16)
Tie 4: Barrow 10-22 Sheffield (v Tie 14)
Tie 5: Batley 12-32 Leigh (v Tie 9)
Tie 6: Halifax 36-8 Oldham (v Tie 8 )
Tie 7: Whitehaven 6-26 Dewsbury (v Tie 2)
Tie 8: Workington 8-48 London (v Tie 6)
Tie 9: York 26-14 Swinton (v Tie 5)

Tie 1: Kells 10-54 Trannies (v Tie 16)
Tie 2: Normanton 14-32 Rochdale (v Tie 10)
Tie 3: Crusaders 6-44 Featherstone (v Tie 14)
Tie 4: Barrow 22-16 Sheffield (v Tie 5)
Tie 5: Batley 12-26 Leigh (v Tie 4)
Tie 6: Halifax 32-10 Oldham (v Tie 11 )
Tie 7: Whitehaven 10-42 Dewsbury (v Tie 9)
Tie 8: Workington 6-46 London (v Tie 13)
Tie 9: York 16-24 Swinton (v Tie 7)

Well this tie business is as clear as mud, I've not a clue, Clowns are known idiots anyway, so I will copy and compile my answers with my Scottish Terrier Barney,after all he beat Cokey at scrabble last week.
Kells 4 v Toronto 48. Tie 5
Normanton 10 v Rochdale 42 tie 9.
Crusaders 8 v Fev 52.tie 12.
Barrow 34 v Sheff 12.tie 14.
Batley 24 v Leigh 16.tie 9.
Halifax 32 v Oldham 14.tie 4.
Whitehaven 16 V Dews 26.tie 11.
Workington 18 v London 32.tie 3.
York 16 V Swinton 32 tie 7.

I've not a clue about this tie business , I prefer a Kipper, or a pencil.

Here Goes:

Tie 1: Kells 08-44 Trannies (v Tie16)
Tie 2: Normanton 12-32 Rochdale (v Tie 10)
Tie 3: Crusaders 06-42 Featherstone (v Tie 06)
Tie 4: Barrow 32-08 Sheffield (v Tie 15)
Tie 5: Batley 16-26 Leigh (v Tie 12) - =#FF0000Fingers crossed
Tie 6: Halifax 34-12 Oldham (v Tie 03)
Tie 7: Whitehaven 12-28 Dewsbury (v Tie 13)
Tie 8: Workington 12-46 London (v Tie 14)
Tie 9: York 20-24 Swinton (v Tie 11)

Ian, It's easy. Just follow the Demo below.

Oh right, that explains it.

Tie 1: Kells 6 Toronto 54 (v Tie 9)
Tie 2: Normanton 4 Rochdale 30 (v Tie 12)
Tie 3: Crusaders 6 Featherstone 48 (v Tie 1)
Tie 4: Barrow 18 Sheffield 14 (v Tie 8 )
Tie 5: Batley 12 Leigh 22 (v Tie 15)
Tie 6: Halifax 42 Oldham 18 (v Tie 14)
Tie 7: Whitehaven 6 Dewsbury 50 (v Tie 10)
Tie 8: Workington 12 London 42 (v Tie 16)
Tie 9: York 18 Swinton 16 (v Tie 13)

Tie 1: Kells 4 -36 Trannies (v Tie 11)
Tie 2: Normanton 8- 38 Rochdale (v Tie 5)
Tie 3: Crusaders 0 -56 Featherstone (v Tie 7)
Tie 4: Barrow 12 - 16 Sheffield (v Tie


Tie 5: Batley 22-24Leigh (v Tie 1)
Tie 6: Halifax 26- 8 Oldham (v Tie 15)
Tie 7: Whitehaven 10-22 Dewsbury (v Tie 9)
Tie 8: Workington 4 - 38 London (v Tie 10)
Tie 9: York 16-12 Swinton (v tie 3)

Tie 1: Kells 6-48 Trannies (v Tie 9)
Tie 2: Normanton 10-30 Rochdale (v Tie 15)
Tie 3: Crusaders 6-46 Featherstone (v Tie


Tie 4: Barrow 16-18 Sheffield (v Tie 16)
Tie 5: Batley 16-24 Leigh (v Tie 14)
Tie 6: Halifax 32-10 Oldham (v Tie 4)
Tie 7: Whitehaven 10.28 Dewsbury (v Tie 12)
Tie 8: Workington 8-44London (v Tie 11)
Tie 9: York 18-22 Swinton (v Tie 2)

Go Leythe

Looks like both Jack & Bongser used the template to predict that the winners of one of the featured ties would be drawn against the winners of tie 8.

Bongser will not repeat that template but the preds will stand.

Tie 1: Kells 4 Toronto 64 (v Tie 13)
Tie 2: Normanton 8 Rochdale 36 (v Tie 16)
Tie 3: Crusaders 6 Featherstone 46 (v Tie 10)
Tie 4: Barrow 28 Sheffield 12 (v Tie 15 )
Tie 5: Batley 22 Leigh 16 (v Tie 5)
Tie 6: Halifax 44 Oldham 10 (v Tie


Tie 7: Whitehaven 16 Dewsbury 38 (v Tie 1)
Tie 8: Workington 12 London 48 (v Tie 12)
Tie 9: York 22 Swinton 10 (v Tie 9)

Late entry.
Tie 3: Crusaders 6 Featherstone 38 (v Tie 2)
Tie 4: Barrow 22 Sheffield 12 (v Tie 6 )
Tie 5: Batley 12 Leigh 28 (v Tie


Tie 6: Halifax 42 Oldham 16 (v Tie 11)
Tie 7: Whitehaven 10 Dewsbury 42 (v Tie 10)
Tie 8: Workington 16 London 38 (v Tie 6)
Tie 9: York 20 Swinton 16 (v Tie 9)

Aaaaahh! Good evening, good evening, good evening, good evening, good evening, and welcome all to WPL (more than a handful’s wasted) CCup Special and a hearty welcome to the audience and to this evening’s guests. To Bongser’s left we see this round’s biggest misnomer, yes it’s “Summer Rugby”. Sharing a desk with him is one of today’s, featured game, postponements. To the right we have the other and, as ever, Mr Alan Davies. Fingers on hooters, please.

At great expense to the BBC (though less so to Dave), you were all given a “Pokemon in the Room” little sticky-uppy thingy. Now, now! No schoolboy sing, please, and no Ms Brand you still can’t have one.

With seven featured matches still going ahead, the Pokemon bonus was still available but nobody saw the “Debacle of Dewsbury” coming. With both Whitehaven and Barrow winning, maybe Dr Marwan has inadvertently instilled a NIMBY siege mentality in Cumbria.

Couple of late entries this week. VL missed the first two games and WLJ just the first. The latter latecomer did “postdict” the correct winner in Friday’s mismatch (unsurprisingly a clean sweep for all the eligible posters) and Bongser did spot this despite the distraction of Jim “guessing” the margin and scoreline wrongly around twelve hours after the completion of the game!! Alas, he shall have no points on that match.

Now, oh my, oh my, oh my! Do Bongser’s eyes deceive him? We seem to have (as well as a rare, if squeaky bum, victory for Leigh – did anyone else notice that Darth Caroli went over to the dark side?) a hen’s tooth in the room: The Publican correctly predicted the exact score line of the Barrow vs Sheffield game. Aaaaahh, he shall have points – 34 thus far making him this week’s leader, though not yet winner. All of which brings us neatly to the bit we like to call “General Ignorance”.

Ol’ Pa Bongser, whenever he espied a more than generously proportioned lady would exclaim, “By ‘eck! If she says it’s Sunday, it’s bl00dy Sunday”. As it is indeed Sunday he must have been right. But in this ever changing world it will be Tuesday before two burly girlies pluck from the swirlies and Bongser can’t score the bonuses until then. By ‘eck! If they say it’s Tuesday, it’s bl00dy Tuesday – especially as they’re holding the balls.

Until then, Bongser will leave you with a cheerful (though less than Wagnerian) composition by one Howard Goodall.

Oh my, oh my ,oh my, oh my, oh my! Felicitations to Oldham but, without wishing to take any of the sheen off their glory, could 'Fax not raise a team tonight. None of the Knights of the Round Table saw that storm blowing in. Where's Michael Feesh when he's needed. Well, speaking of Blowers (chalk and cheese interview on the Mike Sweeney show yestermorn) we'll borrow his words as that match "didn't bother the scorers".

The Fev match tonight wouldn't have done either (as all posters nailed the victor - please, ladies and gentlemen, spare my blushes) save that westleighjim correctly predicted the next draw for them. He shall have points as indeed, indeed, indeed, indeed, inDEED, shall Atomic, Vancouver Leyther (late but great) and Wanderer who also (elsewhere) pulled out a plum after sticking in their thumb (that's enough, please!)

All of which brings us to the Eton Mess of the scores.

This week's runaway winner with 36 points (add on the WWB OF 25 = 61) is The Publican and that solid smash over the grandstand takes him to his century. In vino veritas. Two other new ton ups this round (we revere Centurions in this league of gentlemen - even if one of them is a wolf in sheep's clothing) in Atomic & Wanderer. Raise your bats, sirrahs, thrice times three.

So we now have a hunting pack for the old stag, Darth, who with Cokey and thine host scored least of those of this week's witting entrants (more of that later

)

1. Charlie Caroli - 128
2. The Publican - 106
3. Wanderer - 105
4. Atomic - 103

Into the nervous nineties and with Leyther playing tortoise and hare again:

5. Bongser - 95
6. Leyther X111 - 94

Into the Peleton (though they've all seen that a week's a long time in ballpredicts:

7. Zulu01 - 76
8. Vancouver Leyther - 72
9. westleighjim - 61
10. Cokey - 56
11. Jack Diggle - 49
12. SaBadSel - 16

Propping up the pile with a late entry this week, after Leigh's win (so it wouldn't have counted anyway), with an incorrect draw prediction (C&Ws to face Wire) and on the wrong thread it's (unlucky)

13. Uncle Monty Burns - 0000

New puntables out tomorrow. Heads up, ladies, Friday start.

So from the Pools Panel and Bongser it's goodnight.

Goodnight.

So to this week’s matches:

Friday
Rochdale XX-XX Toronto

Saturday
Toulouse XX-XX Halifax

Sunday
Barrow XX – XX Sheffield
Batley XX – XX Featherstone
Leigh XX – XX Dewsbury
Swinton XX – XX London

On to the Bonkers Bonus:
Your predicted score-lines will be totalled and compared with the actual number of points scored in the six championship matches this week. Since you needn’t do anything bar give your preds, there should be less grousing that the bonus is unfathomable.

Something similar was the bonus set last week on the Bulls’ forum but no one got anywhere close due to the number of postponements. Should there be any this week, Bongser will pro rate your "predictions" and round to the nearest integer.

10 points for plumb, 5 points for within 12, 2 points for within 24. These margins will also be pro rated if necessary.

Good Luck

Rochdale 6 - 66 Toronto


Toulouse 48 - 14 Halifax


Barrow 26 – 10 Sheffield
Batley 6 – 22 Featherstone
Leigh 24 – 6 Dewsbury
Swinton 8 – 44 London