2024 RFL 1895 Cup

2024 RFL 1895 Cup
DurationGroup stage + 3 knock-out rounds
Number of teams21
Highest attendance5,340, Bradford Bulls v Wakefield Trinity, 12 May 2024
Lowest attendance180, Midlands Hurricanes v Doncaster, 28 January 2024

The 2024 RFL 1895 Cup (also known as the 2024 AB Sundecks 1895 Cup) was the fifth staging of the RFL 1895 Cup, a rugby league competition for English and Welsh clubs outside the Super League.

The competition was open to all clubs in the Championship and League 1 although French team, Toulouse Olympique have always declined to enter. League 1 club, Cornwall, also decided not to enter at the request of the other clubs to reduce the burden on the other clubs in having to travel to Cornwall.[1]

For 2024 the format of the competition was significantly amended. In 2021 and 2022 the cup ran concurrently with the early rounds of the Challenge Cup with the teams reaching the knock-out stages being determined by progression in the Challenge Cup. To provide more games, especially for the League 1 teams, the competition for 2024 included a group stage; seven groups of three teams each, with the seven group winners and the second-placed team with the best record progressed to the quarter-finals. The groups were regionalised to reduce the financial costs further and League 1 clubs played at home in fixtures against Championship teams.[2] Newcastle Thunder were included in the competition even though at that date the club's participation in the league for 2024 had yet to be confirmed.[3]

The final was played at Wembley Stadium on 8 June 2024 alongside the finals of the Challenge Cup and the Women's Challenge Cup.[4]

Group stage[edit]

1895 Cup groups
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7
Barrow Raiders Bradford Bulls Newcastle Thunder Halifax Panthers Batley Bulldogs North Wales Crusaders Doncaster
Whitehaven Dewsbury Rams Wakefield Trinity Oldham Featherstone Rovers Swinton Lions Midlands Hurricanes
Workington Town Keighley Cougars York Knights Rochdale Hornets Hunslet Widnes Vikings Sheffield Eagles

Results[edit]

1895 Cup, group stage week one
Gp Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
3 Newcastle Thunder 010–114 York Knights 27 January, 15:00 Kingston Park B. Milligan
7 Midlands Hurricanes 04–40 Doncaster 28 January, 14:00 Alexander Stadium L. Bland 180
6 North Wales Crusaders 12–40 Swinton Lions 28 January, 14:30 Eirias Stadium S. Mikalauskas 520
1 Workington Town 08–30 Barrow Raiders 28 January, 15:00 Derwent Park A. Sweet 901
2 Keighley Cougars 35–60 Dewsbury Rams 28 January, 15:00 Cougar Park K. Moore 839
4 Oldham 24–20 Halifax Panthers 28 January, 15:00 Boundary Park M. Smaill 1,521
5 Hunslet 12–62 Featherstone Rovers 28 January, 15:00 South Leeds Stadium R. Cox 875
Source:[5]
1895 Cup, group stage week two
Gp Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
5 Batley Bulldogs 15–14 Featherstone Rovers 4 February, 14:00 Mount Pleasant C. Worsley
1 Whitehaven 12–18 Barrow Raiders 4 February, 15:00 Recreation Ground B. Milligan
2 Dewsbury Rams 04–40 Bradford Bulls 4 February, 15:00 Crown Flatt A. Sweet
3 York Knights 04–40 Wakefield Trinity 4 February, 15:00 York Community Stadium S. Mikalauskas
4 Rochdale Hornets 12–52 Halifax Panthers 4 February, 15:00 Spotland Stadium R. Cox 1,200
6 Swinton Lions 18–60 Widnes Vikings 4 February, 15:00 Heywood Road M. Smaill 1,006
7 Doncaster 18–22 Sheffield Eagles 4 February, 15:00 Keepmoat Stadium K. Moore
Source:[6]
1895 Cup, group stage week three
Gp Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
6 North Wales Crusaders 14–30 Widnes Vikings 18 February, 14:30 Eirias Stadium M. Lynn 1,088
1 Workington Town 22–28 Whitehaven 18 February, 15:00 Derwent Park R. Cox 1,476
2 Keighley Cougars 18–26 Bradford Bulls 18 February, 15:00 Cougar Park C. Worsley 3,729
3 Newcastle Thunder 000–110 Wakefield Trinity 18 February, 15:00 Post Office Road, Featherstone[a] L. O'Brien 1,378
4 Oldham 38–12 Rochdale Hornets 18 February, 15:00 Boundary Park K. Moore 1,684
5 Hunslet 00–36 Batley Bulldogs 18 February, 15:00 South Leeds Stadium S. Mikalauskas 700
7 Midlands Hurricanes 16–30 Sheffield Eagles 18 February, 15:00 Alexander Stadium M. Smaill 345
Source:[8]

Standings[edit]

Group 1
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Barrow Raiders 2 2 0 0 48 20 +28 4 Advance to knock-out stages
2 Whitehaven 2 1 0 1 40 40 0 2
3 Workington Town 2 0 0 2 30 58 −28 0
Source: [8]
Group 2
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Bradford Bulls 2 2 0 0 66 22 +44 4 Advance to knock-out stages
2 Keighley Cougars 2 1 0 1 53 32 +21 2
3 Dewsbury Rams 2 0 0 2 10 75 −65 0
Source: [8]
Group 3
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Wakefield Trinity 2 2 0 0 150 4 +146 4 Advance to knock-out stages
2 York Knights 2 1 0 1 118 50 +68 2 Advance as best 2nd-place team
3 Newcastle Thunder 2 0 0 2 10 224 −214 0
Source: [8]
Group 4
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Oldham 2 2 0 0 62 32 +30 4 Advance to knock-out stages
2 Halifax Panthers 2 1 0 1 72 36 +36 2
3 Rochdale Hornets 2 0 0 2 24 90 −66 0
Source: [8]
Group 5
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Batley Bulldogs 2 2 0 0 51 14 +37 4 Advance to knock-out stages
2 Featherstone Rovers 2 1 0 1 76 27 +49 2
3 Hunslet 2 0 0 2 12 98 −86 0
Source: [8]
Group 6
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Swinton Lions 2 2 0 0 58 18 +40 4 Advance to knock-out stages
2 Widnes Vikings 2 1 0 1 36 32 +4 2
3 North Wales Crusaders 2 0 0 2 26 70 −44 0
Source: [8]
Group 7
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Sheffield Eagles 2 2 0 0 52 34 +18 4 Advance to knock-out stages
2 Doncaster 2 1 0 1 58 26 +32 2
3 Midlands Hurricanes 2 0 0 2 20 70 −50 0
Source: [8]

Quarter-finals[edit]

The draws for the quarter-finals and semi-finals were made on 18 February. The seven group winners were joined in the draw by York Knights as the best second-placed team.[9] The quarter-finals were played on 3 March.[2]

1895 Cup, Quarter-finals
Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
Wakefield Trinity 30–12 Barrow Raiders 2 March, 15:00 Belle Vue L. Rush 1,809
Bradford Bulls 21–12 Swinton Lions 3 March, 15:00 Odsal Stadium S. Mikalauskas
Sheffield Eagles 26–10 Batley Bulldogs 3 March, 15:00 Sheffield Olympic Legacy Stadium M. Griffiths 732
York Knights 46–12 Oldham 3 March, 15:00 York Community Stadium B. Thaler
Source:[10]

Semi-finals[edit]

The semi-finals were played on 12 May.[2]

1895 Cup, Semi-finals
Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
Bradford Bulls 14–40 Wakefield Trinity 12 May Odsal Stadium L. Rush 5,340
York Knights 18–28 Sheffield Eagles 12 May York Community Stadium S. Mikalauskas
Source:

Final[edit]

The final was played on 8 June.[2]

8 June 2024
17:45 BST
Wakefield Trinity 50–6 Sheffield Eagles
Tries: Walmsley, Gale, Doyle, Pratt (2), Griffin (2), McGillvary (2)
Goals: Jowitt (7/9)
 Report
 Tries: Thackeray
Goals: Aston
Wembley Stadium, London
Referee: T. Grant
Touch judges: M. Craven, 2: W. Turley
Ray French Award: Luke Gale (Wakefield Trinity)
Team details
Wakefield Trinity Position Sheffield Eagles
Name Number Number Name
Max Jowitt 1 Fullback 14 Jack Hansen
Jermaine McGillvary 2 Wing 2 Ben Jones-Bishop
Iain Thornley 4 Centre 3 Kris Welham
Oliver Pratt 3 Centre 4 James Glover
Lachlan Walmsley 5 Wing 5 Matty Dawson-Jones
Luke Gale 6 Stand off 6 Cory Aston
Mason Lino 7 Scrum half 7 Anthony Thackeray
Josh Bowden 8 Prop forward 8 Eddie Battye
Liam Hood 9 Hooker 9 Vila Halafihi
Renouf Atoni 10 Prop forward 10 Tyler Dickinson
Matty Ashurst 11 Second row 11 Connor Bower
Josh Griffin 12 Second row 12 Joel Farrell
Jay Pitts 13 Loose forward 13 Titus Gwaze
Liam Kay 14 Interchange 17 Mitch Clark
Caleb Uele 15 Interchange 18 Aaron Murphy
Ky Rodwell 18 Interchange 22 Kyle Wood
Thomas Doyle 21 Interchange 27 Jesse Sene-Lefao
Luke Bain 1 Concussion substitute 18 Evan Hodgson
Daryl Powell Coach Mark Aston

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Match switched to Featherstone as Kingston Park was unavailable to Newcastle Thunder.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Cornwall chief explains withdrawal from 1895 Cup, admits 'preference would have been to take part'". Love Rugby League. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "RFL confirm Championship and League One structure for 2024, including expanded 1895 Cup format". Love Rugby League. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Newcastle Thunder chief calls upon 'all rugby league fans' to aid survival bid as club details three-stage plan". Love Rugby League. 24 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  4. ^ Walker, Callum (8 November 2023). "Championship and League One structure for 2024 CONFIRMED as 1895 Cup revamp revealed". Total Rugby League. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  5. ^ "AB Sundeck's 1895 Cup: Group Stages". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3415. 29 January 2024. p. 27.
  6. ^ "AB Sundeck's 1895 Cup: Group Stages". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3416. 5 February 2024. p. 31.
  7. ^ "Newcastle vs Wakefield To Move To Featherstone". Wakefield Trinity R.L.F.C. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "Scoreboard: AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Group Stages". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3418. 19 February 2024. p. 31.
  9. ^ "Draws made for 1895 Cup quarter-finals and semi-finals with Wembley in sight". LoveRugbyLeague. 18 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Scoreboard: AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Quarter Finals". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3420. 4 March 2024. p. 31.
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