2025 Preview: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
98 mins ago | Andrew Ferguson
A revamped 1895 Cup gets underway in early February.
22 clubs from the Championship and League 1 competitions will be taking part, with the best two clubs to face off at Wembley on Challenge Cup Final day on Saturday 7 June.
In a change from the 2024 format, League 1 clubs will kick the tournament off over two preliminary rounds, with the best four of those clubs joining 12 Championship clubs (like the Challenge Cup, Toulouse has opted out) in the first Round proper.
The eight winners from the first round will then take part in the Quarter Finals, those winners then proceeding to the Semi Finals before the best two meet at Wembley in June.
Rochdale Horneets 64 (T. Ashton 4, M. Flanagan 3, L. Juma 3, G. McNally, D. Meadows tries; M. Flanagan 8 goals) defeated Cornwall RLFC 12 (H. Aaronson, C. Abbott tries; A. Rusling 2 goals) at Mayfield Sports Centre, Rochdale.
Kickoff: 3:00 PM. Halftime: Rochdale 32-0. Penalties: Rochdale 13-1. Referee: Luke Bland.
Rochdale: McNally, Juma, Flanagan, Ashton, Nixon; Hollidge, Else; Brannan, O'Donnell, Nelmes, Meadows, Straugheir, Whittel. Int: Burton, Dayes, Baker, Taira.
Cornwall: Llewellyn, Symons, Trerise, Aaronson, Abbott; Conroy, Rusling; Rhodes, Lloyd, Boots, Weetman, Simpson, Jenkins. Int: Leney, McConnell, Simpson, Cummings.
Midlands 52 (T. Corion 2, M. Hanley 2, R. Oakes 2, T. Horner, J. Sweeting, T. Wilkinson tries; J. Sweeting 8 goals) defeated Whitehaven 24 (B. Brennan, M. Lewthwaite, E. Nixon, J. Weatherill tries; J. Weatherill 3, K. Tyrer goals) at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham.
Kickoff: 2:00 PM. Halftime: Midlands 28-6. Penalties: 3-all. Referee: Adam Williams.
Midlands: Horner, Hanley, Johnson, Oakes, Corion; Sweeting, Medforth; Morris, Roden, Bowring, Wilkinson, Willis, Wood. Int: Barcoe, Moran, Silk, Kenga.
Whitehaven: Bickerdike, Burns, Egan, Todd, Weatherill; Tyrer, Newbegin; Brennan, Collins, Garner, Lewthwaite, Nixon, Kellett. Int: Blinkhorn, Chambers, Farren, Turnbull.
North Wales 60 (J. Gibson 2, J. Holmes 2, S. Wilde 2, J. Baldwin, O. Brookes, J. Eaves, M. Reid, L. Roby, J. Spedding tries; J. Gibson 3, L. Roby 3 goals) defeated Newcastle 0 at Crow Trees, Newcastle.
Kickoff: 3:00 PM. Halftime: North Wales 30-0. Penalties: North Wales 7-3. Referee: Andy Sweet.
Newcastle: Donaghy, Bradley, Hansen, Rennison, Dickinson; Yeomans, Shaw; Skelton, Lintin, Stoker, Taylor, Birch, Price. Int: Rolls, Handy, Parker, Bate.
North Wales: Roby, Holmes, Reid, Spedding, Brookes; Hughes, Gibson; Houghton, Baldwin, Cooper, Ellis, Wilde, Jones. Int: Eaves, Oakley, Davies, Barratt..
Goole Vikings v North Wales Crusaders
Venue: Victoria Pleasure Ground, Goole.
Kickoff: 3:00 PM. Referee: Luke Bland.
Keighley Cougars v Midlands Hurricanes
Venue: Cougar Park, Keighley.
Kickoff: 3:00 PM. Referee: Adam Williams.
Rochdale Hornets v Swinton Lions
Venue: Crown Oil Arena, Rochdale.
Kickoff: 3:00 PM. Referee: Aaryn Belafonte.
Workington Town v Dewsbury Rams
Venue: Fibrus Community Stadium, Workington.
Kickoff: 3:00 PM. Referee: Tara Jones.
Batley Bulldogs v Bradford Bulls
Venue: Fox's Biscuits Stadium, Batley.
Sheffield Eagles v Doncaster RLFC
Venue: Olympic Legacy Park, Sheffield.
Hunslet RLFC v Widnes Vikings
Venue: South Leeds Stadium, Leeds.
London Broncos
v winner Town-Rams
Venue: Cherry Red Records Stadium
York Knights v Halifax Panthers
Venue: LNER Community Stadium, York.
Winner Vikings/Crusaders
v Barrow Raiders
Venue: Victoria Pleasure Ground or Stadiwm CSM.
Featherstone Rovers
v winner Cougars-Hurricanes
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Featherstone.
Oldham
v winner Rochdale-Swinton
Venue: Boundary Park, Oldham.
8 winners from Round 1, four matches
4 winners from Quarter Finals, two matches
Semi Final winners
Venue: Wembley Stadium