Special fixture added to Championship Summer Bash line-up for 2023
Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.com - 14/11/2022 - Rugby League - Rugby League World Cup 2021 - Semi Final - Australia v Papua New Guinea - LNER Community Stadium, York, England - A general view of LNER Community Stadium in York prior to the 2021 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final match between Australia and Papua New Guinea
Earlier today the Betfred Championship confirmed that the 2023 Championship Bash event would take place at York’s LNER Stadium after being held at Leeds Rhinos’ Headingley Stadium last year.
The event will see all 14 Championship teams do battle but the line-up of fixtures will be completed by a Betfred Women’s Super League clash between the rebranded York Valkyrie, who won the League Leaders Shield in 2022, and Warrington Wolves following their promotion to the top tier – meaning that a York team will be in action on each day of the weekend.
Mark Foster, the RFL’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The LNER Community Stadium and the city of York are exciting new venues for the Betfred Championship Summer Bash in 2023.
“York has been a key venue through the Rugby League World Cup, including staging a superb event for the Women’s Semi Finals with a record rugby crowd at the LNER Community Stadium of more than 7,000, and as a popular base for a number of teams.
“There will be a fresh feel to the Bash in 2023, with the return of Toulouse Olympique, Swinton Lions and Keighley Cougars whose derby match against Bradford Bulls promises to be one of the highlights of the weekend.
“We are also delighted to include a Betfred Women’s Super League fixture in the programme, reflecting York’s rapid progress in the competition in recent years, and also Warrington’s success in earning promotion to the top tier.”
The Summer Bash was first played in 2015 at Bloomfield Road in Blackpool which remained the venue until 2019. It has not been available in 2022, when the Bash was played at Headingley, or in 2023, hence the move to York.
Fixtures:
Saturday May 27
Widnes Vikings v Swinton Lions, Whitehaven v Barrow Raiders, London Broncos v Toulouse Olympique, Featherstone Rovers v York Knights
Sunday May 28
Newcastle Thunder v Sheffield Eagles, Halifax Panthers v Batley Bulldogs, Keighley Cougars v Bradford Bulls, York Valkyrie v Warrington Wolves (Betfred Women’s Super League)