The details for the Fourth Round draw of the Challenge Cup have been revealed with three teams already ensuring their names are in the hat.
Round Three of the Challenge Cup got underway on Friday night with relatively comfortable victories for the three Super League sides in action meaning that holders Wigan Warriors, 2023 winners Leigh Leopards and 2023 finalists Hull KR are all in the hat for Round Four.
Prior to those three games taking place, the RFL confirmed that the draw for Round Four will take place at half-time of the Super League Round One game between St Helens and Salford Red Devils.
That fixture is slated for next Sunday, the 16th of February, and will kick off at 5:30 pm meaning that the draw will be made at approximately 6:20 pm on BBC Two.
Before then, we still have 13 ties to take place with the picks of the bunch seeing community clubs go toe to toe with Super League sides. York Acorn faces Hull FC, West Hull take on St Helens and Wests Warriors challenge Leeds Rhinos as they all target huge cup upsets.
Challenge Cup Round Four draw details
Credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
The BBC will show one game in Round Four, as they have done for the first three rounds of the Challenge Cup but the coverage will still be limited to just the Red Button, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Fans will have to wait until the quarter-finals (Round Five) before games are broadcast on terrestrial television, however, the positive news is that the Sportsman Rugby League YouTube channel’s coverage will continue in Round Four.
They aired the York Knights and Hull KR game on Friday with over 18,000 viewers watching at one point showcasing the thirst for the competition on a night when free-to-air TV had the FA Cup on show.
Round Four will take place on the weekend of March 14th to 16th with two of the eight ties aired, one on the BBC and one on the Sportsman.
Of the 16 tips in the hat, we know the identity of three of them but we also know that at least four teams from outside of Super League will feature given the four ties in Round Three between lower league clubs.
One of those sides is community club Ince Rose Bridge who travel to Post Office Road on Sunday to face Featherstone Rovers.
Challenge Cup Round Three
Friday, 7th February
Sheffield Eagles 12-48 Wigan Warriors
Workington Town 0-60 Leigh Leopards
York Knights 2-44 Hull KR
Saturday, 8th February
Wests Warriors v Leeds Rhinos, KO 12 pm
Halifax Panthers v Catalans Dragons, KO 12 pm – live on the Sportsman Rugby League YouTube channel
York Acorn v Hull FC, KO 2 pm
West Hull v St Helens, KO 2 pm
Goole Vikings v Wakefield Trinity, KO 3 pm
Whitehaven v Warrington Wolves, KO 3 pm
Sunday, February 9
Bradford Bulls v Castleford Tigers, KO 1p m – live on BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport/via the Red Button
Batley Bulldogs v Dewsbury Rams, KO 2 pm
Featherstone Rovers v Ince Rose Bridge, KO 2 pm
Midlands Hurricanes v Salford Red Devils, KO 2 pm
North Wales Crusaders v Widnes Vikings, KO 2.30 pm
Oldham RLFC v Barrow Raiders, KO 3 pm
Hunslet RLFC v Huddersfield Giants, KO 3 pm
