The contenders and the pretenders will finally get sorted in the fifth and final round of the English Challenge Cup this weekend.
BARROW RAIDERS v WAKEFIELD TRINITY WILDCATS
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats' belief that this could be their Cup year is enhanced by the fact that on the last two occasions they met Barrow in the competition they went on to Wembley, albeit losing in the finals of 1968 and 1979. Barrow's 1979 defeat was the last time they reached the quarter finals. The clubs have had widely contrasting fortunes in the last two decades and have not met since Barrow were last in the top division, in 1989-90. Wakefield won 30-16 at home to complete a league double. But Barrow won the previous encounter, 32-16 at home in the old Second Division in 1987-88.
Previous RL Challenge Cup meetings
1915 (1) Barrow 15 Wakefield 8
1956 (3) Wakefield 10 Barrow 14
1968 (1) Barrow 4 Wakefield 8
1979 (3) Wakefield 8 Barrow 5
BRADFORD BULLS v CATALANS DRAGONS
Catalans Dragons, last year's beaten finalists, have managed just one win in seven engage Super League encounters with Bradford Bulls. That was last year when they gained a surprise 29-22 away victory. Bradford have already beaten Catalans this year, snatching a last minute 20-18 win in France in March. That was Catalans last defeat, having since gone a club record nine matches without defeat. The Bulls can expect much tougher French opposition than they faced in the previous round when they beat Toulouse 98-6. It was a club record score and the biggest defeat for a French club in the Cup.
No previous RL Challenge Cup meetings
DEWSBURY RAMS v OLDHAM
Dewsbury Rams gained a Northern Rail Cup double over Oldham last year, while the fortunes were reversed the previous time they met.That was in 2003 when Oldham had home and away victories in National League One. Their meetings in the Challenge Cup are almost as even with Oldham just leading the way with seven wins to six, having won the last three. Dewsbury were the beaten finalists in the first Wembley final (1929), but Oldham have never been to the stadium.
Previous RL Challenge Cup meetings
1908 (1) Dewsbury 2 Oldham 13
1912 (F) Dewsbury 8 Oldham 5 (At Leeds)
1913 (2) Dewsbury 10 Oldham 2
1924 (2) Oldham 18 Dewsbury 0
1934 (1) Oldham 19 Dewsbury 2
1941 (1) Oldham 9 Dewsbury 13
1943 (SF)* Oldham 3 Dewsbury 25
Dewsbury 43 Oldham 5
1956 (1) Oldham 31 Dewsbury 2
1977 (1) Oldham 8 Dewsbury 15
1980 (1) Dewsbury 2 Oldham 24
1989 (1) Dewsbury 9 Oldham 40
1999 (4) Oldham 18 Dewsbury 10
HARLEQUINS RL v LEEDS RHINOS
This is the first time Harlequins RL have played Leeds Rhinos at home in the Carnegie Challenge Cup, having lost three times at Headingley Carnegie Stadium and once in the final at Wembley in 1999. But they have a poor home record against Leeds and have not beaten them on their own ground since 1997 when, as London Broncos, they won 40-16 in Super League. Leeds's unbeaten away run of nine matches, includes a 36-36 draw in 2004. The Londoners did manage a 32-24 "home" win in 2005, but that was a match switched to Perpignan. Since then Leeds have won all seven home and away matches. Leeds's 52-16 defeat of London Broncos at Wembley in 1999 remains the highest score in a Challenge Cup final.
Previous RL Challenge Cup meetings
Harlequins RL were previously London Broncos
1999 (F) Leeds 52 London B. 16 (At Wembley)
2003 (5) Leeds 21 London B. 12
2005 (6) Leeds 32 London B. 12
2006 (6) Leeds 36 Harlequins RL 18
HULL KINGSTON ROVERS v HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS (live on BBC TWO)
HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS will travel to Craven Park with plenty of confidence having drawn 24-24 there earlier this season and won 24-16 last season. But Hull Kingston Rovers did complete an engage Super League double last year when they won 25-24 at home in the last match of the season after trailing by 12 points with 15 minutes left. Paul Cooke snatched victory with a late drop goal.
Previous RL Challenge Cup meetings
1907 (2) Huddersfield 17 Hull K.R. 0
1914 (2) Hull K.R. 2 Huddersfield 17
1962 (SF) Huddersfield 6 Hull K.R. 0 (At
Huddersfield)
1973 (1) Huddersfield 6 Hull K.R. 19
ST. HELENS v WARRINGTON WOLVES (live on BBC ONE)
ST. HELENS, who have won the Cup in the last two years, have the current longest run of reaching the quarterfinals. They have reached the last eight every season since losing at Leeds Rhinos in the fifth round of 2000. Warrington Wolves are seeking to end a run of 22 matches without beating the Saints. It includes two Challenge Cup defeats, the latest being last year. Warrington last defeated St. Helens 56-22 at home in 2001. They have managed two home draws, the last being 30-30 in 2003 and since then Warrington have lost all 16 encounters. Their last win at St. Helens was 21-11 in a Division One match in 1994. Since then, Warrington have lost all 18 Cup and League meetings at Knowsley Road.
Previous RL Challenge Cup meetings
1900 (1) St. Helens 0 Warrington 6
1903 (1) St. Helens 6 Warrington 3
1933 (SF) Warrington 11 St. Helens 5 (At Swinton)
1947 (2) Warrington 24 St. Helens 2
1953 (SF) St. Helens 9 Warrington 3 (At Swinton)
1956 (1) St. Helens 15 Warrington 6
1969 (3) Warrington 4 St. Helens 2
1972 (SF) St. Helens 10 Warrington 10 (At Wigan)
Replay St. Helens 10 Warringon 6 (At Wigan)
1977 (1) Warrington 12 St. Helens 13
1978 (SF) St. Helens 12 Warrington 8 (At Wigan)
1988 (2) Warrington 20 St. Helens 24
1998 (5) St. Helens 35 Warrington 22
2002 (5) Warrington 14 St. Helens 36
2007 (6) St. Helens 25 Warrington 14
WIDNES VIKINGS v HULL FC
WIDNES VIKINGS are aiming to become the first team to beat engage Super League opposition as a lower division club three times. They beat Workington Town 17-10 in 1996 and Castleford Tigers 14-4 in 2006. The win at Workington was one of only two away victories by a lower division club against Super League opposition. Hull completed a Super League double in 2005, the last time they met, but the previous season Widnes had a 32-18 home win.
Previous RL Challenge Cup meetings
1897 (2) Widnes 11 Hull 0
1904 (1) Hull 9 Widnes 0
1920 (3) Widnes 0 Hull 3
1930 (3) Widnes 19 Hull 5
1954 (1)* Hull 24 Widnes 0
Widnes 2 Hull 5
1975 (2) Hull 12 Widnes 13
1978 (2) Hull 8 Widnes 20
1980 (SF) Hull 10 Widnes 5 (At
Swinton)
1982 (F) Hull 14 Widnes 14 (At
Wembley)
(Replay) Hull 18 Widnes 9 (At
Leeds U. FC)
1985 (3) Hull 6 Widnes 6
(Replay) Widnes 12 Hull 19
1996 (6) Hull 0 Widnes 20
WIGAN WARRIORS v WHITEHAVEN
WHITEHAVEN suffered a club record 98-4 defeat when they visited Wigan Warriors in the fourth round of 2000. They have never appeared in the Challenge Cup Final, while Wigan have been finalists a record 28 times and won the trophy a record 17 times.
Wigan have won the last eight Cup and League meetings spread out over 26 years. Whitehaven last defeated Wigan in 1982 when they scraped an 8-5 home win. Their only away win was back in 1972 at the old Central Park ground in the last season of the old one league system. Neither side scored a try as Whitehaven edged home 8-6.
Previous RL Challenge Cup meetings
1958 (1) Wigan 39 Whitehaven 10
1966 (2) Wigan 40 Whitehaven 6
2000 (4) Wigan 98 Whitehaven 4
2005 (4) Wigan 42 Whitehaven 4
