2017 League 1 Cup Explained

2017 League 1 Cup
Duration:4 Rounds
No Of Teams:16
Biggest Home Win:68–14 Barrow Raiders v Oxford (semi-final)
Biggest Away Win:12–48 Hemel Stags v Gloucestershire All Golds (first round)
Season:2017
Season Champs:Barrow Raiders
Season Champ Name:Winners
Second Place:North Wales Crusaders
Prevseason Link:2016 League 1 Cup
Prevseason Year:2016

The 2017 League 1 Cup known as the 2017 iPro Sport cup for sponsorship reasons[1] is the third running of the competition, first played in 2015.

The 2017 competition was won by Barrow Raiders who defeated North Wales Crusaders 38–32 in the final at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool on 27 May 2017.

The League 1 Cup competition is for the rugby league clubs in the British League 1 - the third tier of rugby league in Britain. There are 16 teams in League 1 but Canadian club Toronto Wolfpack declined to enter the tournament. As a result, amateur team and 2016 Conference Challenge Trophy winners Rochdale Mayfield were invited into the competition to bring the numbers to 16.[2]

Teams

TeamAppearanceFirst appearanceLast appearance
3rd 20152016
3rd20152016
2nd20162016
3rd20162016
3rd20162016
2nd20162016
3rd20152016
3rd20152016
3rd20152016
3rd20152016
Oxford3rd20152016
Rochdale Mayfield1st2017N/A
3rd20152016
1st 2017N/A
Workington Town1st2017N/A
3rd20152016

First round

The first round draw of the 2016 iPro Sport Cup was broadcast live on BBC Radio Leeds on 20 December 2016 from 6.45pm. For the first round the teams were split into two pools – Pool A (Northern regions) and Pool B (Midlands and Southern regions). Ties to be played over the weekend of 18–19 February 2017.

The draw was made by former Keighley player Paul Handforth (man of the match in 2016 final) and BBC Leeds presenter and former footballer Paul Ogden.[3]

Pool A

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Timewidth=22%Venuewidth=10%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Rochdale Mayfield18 – 46 align=left Barrow Raiders18 February 2017, 14:00Rochdale Mayfield RLFCT. Crashley300 (estimated)
align=left 6 – 22align=left Workington Town19 February 2017, 14:00Recreation GroundC. Straw908
align=left Hunslet Hawks10 – 34align=left Newcastle Thunder19 February 2017, 15:00B. Robinson449
align=left Keighley Cougars30 – 22align=left Doncaster19 February 2017, 15:00Cougar ParkJ. McMullen520
align=left York City Knights16 – 17align=left North Wales Crusaders19 February 2017, 15:00Bootham CrescentN. Bennett620
Source:[4]

Pool B

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Timewidth=22%Venuewidth=10%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Oxford Rugby League30 – 28align=left Coventry Bears18 February 2017, 14:00Tilsley ParkG. Dolan121
align=left Hemel Stags12 – 48align=left 19 February 2017, 14:00Pennine Way StadiumM. Rossleigh107
align=left 16 – 24align=left London Skolars19 February 2017, 15:00The WernL. Moore122
Source:

Quarter finals

The draw was made immediately after the conclusion of the first round matches.

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Timewidth=22%Venuewidth=10%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Gloucestershire All Golds30 – 22align=left Workington Town1 April 2017, 14:30Derwent ParkM. Rossleigh378
align=left Oxford Rugby League24 – 20align=left London Skolars1 April 2017, 14:30Tilsley ParkA. Sweet105
align=left Barrow Raiders28 – 6align=left Keighley Cougars2 April 2017, 14:00Craven ParkN. Bennett828
align=left Newcastle Thunder16 – 24align=left North Wales Crusaders2 April 2017, 15:00Kingston ParkJ. McMullen345
Source:[5]

Semi finals

The draw for the semi-finals was made on 3 April 2017. Making the draw were England assistant coach Paul Anderson and BBC rugby league correspondent Dave Woods.[6]

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Timewidth=22%Venuewidth=10%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Gloucestershire All Golds28 – 37align=left North Wales Crusaders30 April 2017, 15:00Prince of Wales StadiumJ Roberts202
align=left Barrow Raiders64 – 14align=left Oxford30 April 2017, 15:00Craven ParkL Moore962
Source:[7]

Final

The final between Barrow Raiders and North Wales Crusaders was played on 27 May at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool as the curtain raiser to the 2017 Summer Bash.

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Timewidth=22%Venuewidth=10%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Barrow Raiders38 – 32align=left North Wales Crusaders27 May 2017, 12:00Bloomfield RoadS Racenot given
Source:[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The iPro Sport Cup . 26 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304153645/http://www.iprosport.com/article-theiprosportcup.html . 2016-03-04 . dead .
  2. Web site: League 1 Cup first round draw . . 13 December 2016 . 21 December 2016.
  3. Web site: League 1 cup first round draw made . 20 December 2016 . 21 December 2016 . The Rugby Football League.
  4. News: League 1 Cup: round one . . 20 February 2017 . 3058 . 35.
  5. News: Kingstone Press League 1 Cup Quarter-finals . . 39 . 3064 . 3 April 2017.
  6. Web site: League 1 Cup semi-final draw . . 3 April 2017 . 19 April 2017.
  7. News: Kingstone Press League 1 Cup Semi-finals . . 39 . 3068 . 1 May 2017.
  8. News: Kingstone Press League 1 Cup Final . . 39 . 3072 . 29 May 2017.