Challenge Cup statement

Rochdale Hornets has provided a response to the RFL’s return to play plans.

Rochdale Hornets has provided a response to the RFL’s return to play plans.

Rochdale Hornets can confirm that we were not selected to take part in the Challenge Cup for 2021. 

In a meeting with the Championship and League One clubs last week, the RFL Executive recommended that no League One clubs should take part in the Challenge Cup due to a number of circumstances created by the pandemic. The delayed season start meant that Challenge Cup fixtures would need to be played earlier than the proposed May 2021 restart for League One. 

However, the RFL Executive also invited League One to express an interest in entering the Challenge Cup as there were three spaces available in the formatting of the competition. Rochdale Hornets entered alongside six other clubs.

Following the meeting, the RFL wrote to clubs informing us that seven League One clubs had entered, which was too many and asked us to reconsider. The RFL proposed a preliminary round which could only accommodate six clubs and not the seven that entered. In addition, the proposal outlined that the preliminary round would be unfunded and clubs would not receive an appearance fee or any prize money if they exited the competition. 

We were given 24 hours to consider this proposal and based on this new information, Rochdale Hornets confirmed our entry on the basis that there was no preliminary. We were informed late last night that we had not been selected as one of the three clubs to play in the Challenge Cup.

We are deeply disappointed at not being selected to play in the prestigious Challenge Cup competition. Rochdale Hornets will write to the RFL Executive seeking clarity on the Challenge Cup situation alongside other competition related matters.