Ladbrokes Challenge Cup: Top Super League sides enter the competition
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We’re down to the last 16 in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup and the big guns have joined the competition aiming to claim rugby league’s famous old trophy.
The top eight Super League clubs from last season – including 2015 Challenge Cup winners Leeds Rhinos and current league leaders Warrington Wolves – join the eight remaining sides, all just three wins away from a Wembley final appearance.
Among the sixth round ties are three all-Super League match-ups and three Championship v Super League clashes, while the lowest-ranked club left in the competition – Toulouse of League 1 – are rewarded for their impressive victory over Leigh with an away trip to in-form Wakefield on Sunday.
The competition’s other French outfit – Catalans Dragons – are also on the road and kick things off against Batley Bulldogs at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium in Friday’s opener. Batley are 12/1 to cause an upset, and will be hoping the famous Mount Pleasant slope catches the Dragons off guard in only their second visit to Batley.
Friday’s other clash sees struggling West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Giants and Leeds Rhinos meet for the second week running. Leeds, treble winners in 2015, prop up the table and lost to the Giants in the league last week. They are 6/4 to reverse that result tonight and 12/1 to retain their crown at Wembley.
Saturday’s big game sees Salford Red Devils (6/5) travel to 2014 finalists Castleford Tigers (8/11). After their six-point deduction in Super League, Salford will no doubt be eyeing up the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup as a possible means of winning some silverware and can be backed at 33/1 to lift the trophy in August.
Elsewhere on Saturday, the giant-killers of the fifth round – Oldham – welcome Super League leaders Warrington to Bower Fold, and are a massive 50/1 to cause another huge upset.
St Helens and Hull FC– 7/1 and 14/1 respectively to win the trophy – meet in Sunday’s all-Super League tie, in what promises to be another close game if league form is anything to go by, while Wigan travel to Dewsbury and Widnes visit Halifax.
The draw for the quarter finals of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup will be made after the St Helens v Hull FC game on Sunday 8 May.
Look out for loads of great feature game content! Here’s what happened when we visited Batley for their fifth round clash…
For all of our Ladbrokes Challenge Cup Enhanced Specials markets click here.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
