The Ladbrokes Challenge Cup quarter finals weekend brings us four games over four days, none of which have obvious outcomes. It is conceivable that any four of the eight could be in the hat for the semi-finals draw.
All four games are to be televised. Tonight's clash between Hull KR and the Catalans Dragons, and tomorrow's game between Hull FC and Leeds Rhinos are both on SKY while Saturday's fixture at Warrington where they entertain Championship side Leigh, and St Helens who welcome Widnes, are both on the BBC.
It should be a cracking four days of rugby with a semi-final place up for grabs.
It's Superleague's ninth against sixth as the Dragons bring their sub-standard away game to Craven Park, the site of two big KR victories in the last two weeks. Earlier in the season the Robins won the league game by a massive 50-20 scoreline but the Dragons got their revenge with a 32-24 win in the south of France. Catalans haven't won away from home since they beat Wakefield back on the 2nd of April and they only just scraped through a tough sixth round test against Featherstone Rovers. The bookies have made KR the slight favourites, despite their lower league position, and the Dragons get a four point start on the coupon.
Friday nights showdown is at the KC Stadium where the two sides clash for the second time in five days. Leeds won last Sunday's league encounter by 32-20 but suffered several injuries to key players, including Danny McGuire. FC will be without kicker Marc Sneyd, suspended over the incident which saw McGuire injured, and despite the sides being separated by seven league positions, this one is too close to call. Cup holders Leeds have made the trip to play the Black & Whites once already this season and they came away 43-12 winners despite trailing 12-0 at half time. The bookies have the Rhinos as slight favourites and give FC a four point start.
Saturday sees the action move over the Pennines to Warrington where there will be massive interest on whether the all-conquering Leigh Centurions can overcome a Warrington side who have lost their last two matches and are looking a little out of sorts. The Wolves are currently seventh in Superleague and have lost more games this season than they have won, the Centurions on the other hand, have the winning habit with just one loss in their last twenty six. Despite having already claimed the Superleague scalps of Salford and Wakefield, Leigh are the bookies underdogs and if you hunt around you can get 5/1 on them winning. They have a sixteen point start on the coupon but this game could be far, far closer than that.
The last game of the weekend sees St Helens face Widnes Vikings at Langtree Park in another game that the bookies are predicting might be a little one-sides. Saints start the post-Wellens era with a cup match against a side eight places below them in the league ladder but do come into the game on the back of a loss to the Tigers. Widnes have lost their last three and will need to be at the top of their game and hoping that the Saints have an off day. When the two sides met at Langtree Park earlier in the season it was a comfortable 34-16 home win and the bookies have made the Saints firm favourites and also given the Vikings a sixteen point start.
Despite the handicaps and odds these could be four absolute crackers for your weekends ocular pleasure and it is anyone's guess which four sides will emerge victorious. |