St Helens Women have found out the three teams they will face in the Group Stage of this seasons Betfred Challenge Cup
Holders St Helens will face Bradford Bulls, London Broncos and local rivals Warrington Wolves in the group stage of the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup, following tonight’s draw which was made live on BBC Radio Merseyside Sport.
The well-known former Rugby League broadcaster and Lecturer in Journalism and Sport at the University of Central Lancashire, Angela Powers, made the draw in the company of another champion of women’s sport – BBC presenter Giulia Bould.
16 clubs were drawn into four groups of four, with 12 teams seeded on the basis of their finishing positions in last year’s Betfred Women’s Super League (BWSL) and the remaining four places taken by invitational teams.
In the all-Yorkshire Group 1, Betfred Women’s Super League champions York Valkyrie will play coach Lindsay Anfield’s former club Castleford Tigers, Featherstone Rovers and competition newcomers Sheffield Eagles.
In Group 2, Barrow Raiders coach Amanda Wilkinson will face her former club Wigan Warriors, Women’s Super League South champions Cardiff Demons and Salford Red Devils.
Bradford Bulls, London Broncos, St Helens and Warrington contest Group 3, while Huddersfield Giants, Hull KR, last year’s defeated finalists Leeds Rhinos and Leigh Leopards make up Group 4.
This year’s competition will kick-off on the weekend of 16/17 March – the start of the road to Wembley Stadium, where the final will be staged for only the second time on Saturday 8 June.
All teams will play three group matches, with the top four seeds – Leeds Rhinos (Group 4), St Helens (Group 3), Wigan Warriors (Group 2) and York Valkyrie (Group 1) – each playing two of their matches away from home.
Group One – York Valkyrie, Featherstone Rovers, Castleford Tigers, Sheffield Eagles
Group Two – Wigan Warriors, Barrow Raiders, Salford Red Devils, Cardiff Demons
Group Three – St Helens, Warrington Wolves, Bradford Bulls, London Broncos
Group Four – Leeds Rhinos, Huddersfield Giants, Leigh Leopards, Hull KR
Fixtures will be confirmed as soon as possible.
The group stage concludes on the weekend of 6/7 April and the draw for the quarter-finals was also made tonight on Radio Merseyside.
Winner of Group 1 v Runners up of Group 1
Winner of Group 2 v Runners up of Group 2
Winner of Group 3 v Runners up of Group 4
Winner of Group 4 v Runners up of Group 3
Ties will be played on the weekend of 6/7 April.
The Women’s 2024 Betfred Challenge Cup is part of a Finals Day triple-header at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8 June, alongside the final of the Betfred Men’s Challenge Cup and the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup. Tickets are available online from only £15 Adults and £7.50 Under 16s, with family packages also available starting from just £18.75 for one Adult and two Under 16s.
