2024 RFL 1895 Cup explained

2024 RFL 1895 Cup
Duration:Group stage + 3 knock-out rounds
No Of Teams:21
Highest Attendance:5,340, Bradford Bulls v Wakefield Trinity, 12 May 2024
Lowest Attendance:180, Midlands Hurricanes v Doncaster, 28 January 2024
Season:2024
Season Champ Name:Winners
Prevseason Link:2023 RFL 1895 Cup
Prevseason Year:2023
Nextseason Year:2025

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

Results

1895 Cup, group stage week one
GpHomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
3 Newcastle Thunder10–114 York Knights27 January, 15:00Kingston ParkB. Milligan
7 Midlands Hurricanes4–40 Doncaster28 January, 14:00Alexander StadiumL. Bland180
6 North Wales Crusaders12–40 Swinton Lions28 January, 14:30Eirias StadiumS. Mikalauskas520
1 Workington Town8–30 Barrow Raiders28 January, 15:00Derwent ParkA. Sweet901
2 Keighley Cougars35–6 Dewsbury Rams28 January, 15:00Cougar ParkK. Moore839
4 Oldham24–20 Halifax Panthers28 January, 15:00Boundary ParkM. Smaill1,521
5 Hunslet12–62 Featherstone Rovers28 January, 15:00South Leeds StadiumR. Cox875
Source:[5]
1895 Cup, group stage week two
GpHomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
5 Batley Bulldogs15–14 Featherstone Rovers4 February, 14:00Mount PleasantC. Worsley
1 Whitehaven12–18 Barrow Raiders4 February, 15:00Recreation GroundB. Milligan
2 Dewsbury Rams4–40 Bradford Bulls4 February, 15:00Crown FlattA. Sweet
3 York Knights4–40 Wakefield Trinity4 February, 15:00York Community StadiumS. Mikalauskas
4 Rochdale Hornets12–52 Halifax Panthers4 February, 15:00Spotland StadiumR. Cox1,200
6 Swinton Lions18–6 Widnes Vikings4 February, 15:00Heywood RoadM. Smaill1,006
7 Doncaster18–22 Sheffield Eagles4 February, 15:00Keepmoat StadiumK. Moore
Source:[6]
1895 Cup, group stage week three
GpHomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
6 North Wales Crusaders14–30 Widnes Vikings18 February, 14:30Eirias StadiumM. Lynn1,088
1 Workington Town22–28 Whitehaven18 February, 15:00Derwent ParkR. Cox1,476
2 Keighley Cougars18–26 Bradford Bulls18 February, 15:00Cougar ParkC. Worsley3,729
3 Newcastle Thunder0–110 Wakefield Trinity18 February, 15:00Post Office Road, FeatherstoneL. O'Brien1,378
4 Oldham38–12 Rochdale Hornets18 February, 15:00Boundary ParkK. Moore1,684
5 Hunslet0–36 Batley Bulldogs18 February, 15:00South Leeds StadiumS. Mikalauskas700
7 Midlands Hurricanes16–30 Sheffield Eagles18 February, 15:00Alexander StadiumM. Smaill345
Source:[7]

Standings

Quarter-finals

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.[8] The quarter-finals were played on 3 March.[2]

1895 Cup, Quarter-finals
HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
Wakefield Trinity30–12 Barrow Raiders2 March, 15:00Belle VueL. Rush1,809
Bradford Bulls21–12 Swinton Lions3 March, 15:00Odsal StadiumS. Mikalauskas
Sheffield Eagles26–10 Batley Bulldogs3 March, 15:00Sheffield Olympic Legacy StadiumM. Griffiths732
York Knights46–12 Oldham3 March, 15:00York Community StadiumB. Thaler
Source:[9]

Semi-finals

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

1895 Cup, Semi-finals
HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
14–40 Wakefield Trinity12 MayOdsal StadiumL. Rush5,340
18–2812 MayYork Community StadiumS. Mikalauskas
Source:

Final

The final was played on 8 June.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cornwall chief explains withdrawal from 1895 Cup, admits 'preference would have been to take part' . Love Rugby League . 1 December 2023 . 10 November 2023.
  2. Web site: RFL confirm Championship and League One structure for 2024, including expanded 1895 Cup format . Love Rugby League . 1 December 2023 . 8 November 2023.
  3. Web site: Newcastle Thunder chief calls upon 'all rugby league fans' to aid survival bid as club details three-stage plan . Love Rugby League . 1 December 2023 . 24 November 2023.
  4. News: Walker . Callum . Championship and League One structure for 2024 CONFIRMED as 1895 Cup revamp revealed . 1 December 2023 . Total Rugby League . 8 November 2023.
  5. News: AB Sundeck's 1895 Cup: Group Stages . . 27 . 3415 . 29 January 2024.
  6. News: AB Sundeck's 1895 Cup: Group Stages . . 31 . 3416 . 5 February 2024.
  7. News: Scoreboard: AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Group Stages . . 31 . 3418 . 19 February 2024.
  8. News: Draws made for 1895 Cup quarter-finals and semi-finals with Wembley in sight . 18 February 2024 . LoveRugbyLeague . 18 February 2024 . en.
  9. News: Scoreboard: AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Quarter Finals . . 31 . 4 March 2024 . 3420.