Ellenborough Rangers will be Cumbria’s only community club included in the draw for next season’s Challenge Cup.
The draws for the first and second rounds of the 2022 competition will be made at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday, December 14.
The 14 first round ties will be played on the weekend of January 15-16, and the 12 second round ties on the weekend of January 29-30.
And it’s exactly those dates which have put-off Cumbrian clubs in the National Conference – Wath Brow, Egremont, Kells and Hensingham from entering this time.
The general feeling is that those ties come far too soon for them as they are not due to begin their Conference League season until March.
Ellenborough are included as Cumberland ARL Premier Division champions and are prepared to take on the opening rounds.
Community clubs will return to the first round of the Cup next January after their COVID-enforced absence in 2021. In addition, they will be joined by the semi-professionals in League 1 in round two a fortnight later.
The double draw will be streamed live on the BBC Red Button. Additionally, it will be on the Rugby Football League’s Our League channel from 5.30pm.
It has been agreed that Cornwall, the new team in League 1, will not enter the Cup in their debut season. Futhermore, Super League newcomers Toulouse have also opted not to enter.
The third round will be played on February 12-13, producing six winners to join the 14 Championship clubs in the fourth round on February 26-27.
The fifth round will be held on March 12-13. The winners will join the Super League teams in the sixth round on March 26-27.
The winners from round five will also qualify for the 1895 Cup, with a play-off on the Challenge Cup quarter-final weekend of April 9-10. The semi-finals of the Challenge Cup and 1895 Cup will be played on the weekend of May 7-8.
Teams in the first round draw will be: The Army, Bentley, Bridgend Blue Bulls, Edinburgh Eagles, Ellenborough Rangers, Featherstone Lions, Galway Tribesmen, Great Britain Police, Hunslet Club Parkside, Jarrow Vikings, Leigh Miners Rangers, Lock Lane, London Chargers, Milford, the Navy, Orrell St James, Pilkington Recs, the RAF, Rochdale Mayfield, Siddal, Stanningley, Thatto Heath Crusaders, Thornhill Trojans, Upton, West Hull, Wests Warriors, Wigan St Patricks, York Acorn.
Teams in the second round (plus round one winners)
Doncaster, Hunslet, Keighley Cougars, London Skolars, Midlands Hurricanes, North Wales Crusaders, Oldham, Rochdale Hornets, Swinton Lions, West Wales Raiders.
