The Challenge Cup third-round draw will be made this Tuesday evening with Super League sides set to enter the prestigious competition. All top-flight clubs will be involved and seeded, guaranteeing them an away tie against lower league opposition.
In total, 32 clubs will feature in round three. However, due to the adverse weather last weekend, the majority of first-round ties are still to be played, with the second-round games meaning a total of 66 clubs are in the hat.
There are 20 ball numbers, with each second round tie, the majority of which are either/or’s, taking a number. For instance, ball one leaves a possibility of four opponents, containing GB Police, York Acorn, London Chargers, and Oulton Raiders.
The 20 numbers are the second round ties, 12 of which will meet a Super League opponent. There will be four non-Super League ties, guaranteeing four lower league clubs in the last 16. Meanwhile, the balls have been allocated in the order they were drawn before Christmas.
In total, 31 community clubs are still involved in the third-round draw, with the 23 Championship and League 1 clubs (excluding Toulouse Olympique) joining them alongside the 12 Super League teams.
The draw will begin with one ball being drawn to face each of the 12 Super League clubs. Wakefield Trinity will be first up, whereas Wigan Warriors, the current holders, will be last up. The remaining eight balls will then be drawn in four more ties to complete the lineup.
For the women’s Challenge Cup, the 12 teams will be split into four groups of three. The top four teams, Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, York Valkyrie, and St Helens, are seeded. They will each be joined by two of the eight remaining teams to complete the groups.
The draw will take place form 6:30 pm and is live on the BBC iPlayer and red button.
Challenge Cup Ball numbers
- GB Police, York Acorn, London Chargers or Oulton Raiders
- Halifax Panthers, Thatto Heath or Orrell St James
- Dewsbury Moor, Haresfinch or Dewsbury Rams
- Barrow Raiders, Crosfields or Maryport
- Mirfield, Royal Navy or Workington Town
- London Broncos or Goole Vikings
- Lock Lane, Doncaster Toll Bar or Hunslet RLFC
- Waterhead Warriors, Leigh Miners or Featherstone Rovers
- Wests Warriors, British Army or RAF
- Whitehaven or Swinton Lions
- Stanley Rangers, Hunslet ARLFC, West Hull or Edinburgh Eagles
- Rochdale Hornets or Widnes Vikings
- Oldham, Rochdale Mayfield or Telford Raiders
- Keighley Cougars or York Knights
- Sheffield Eagles, West Bowling or Cutsyke Raiders
- Bradford Bulls or Doncaster
- Blackbrook, Longhorns or Ince Rose Bridge
- Midlands Hurricanes or Siddal
- Cornwall or North Wales Crusaders
- Newcastle Thunder or Batley Bulldogs
Women’s Challenge Cup Group Stage draw
Pool one
- Barrow Raiders
- Cardiff Demons
- Featherstone Rovers
- Huddersfield Giants
- Leigh Leopards
- London Broncos
- Sheffield Eagles
- Warrington Wolves
Pool two
- Leeds Rhinos
- St Helens
- Wigan Warriors
- York Valkyrie
Click here – Get the latest news on our Rugby League Live WhatsApp channel