Barrow Raiders Ladies have been given a plum opening fixture in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup which is being organised in groups.
The Super League newcomers will start their 2022 Challenge Cup campaign at home to current holders, St Helens, on Sunday, March 13.
The competition starts on that date and culminates with the final at Elland Road on Saturday, May 7.
Barrow’s group continues a fortnight later with a trip to Warrington Wolves and concludes with a home game against the British Army on April 3.
Last week’s draw, which took place at Elland Road, saw 16 teams drawn into four seeded groups of four teams – guaranteeing each of them three fixtures. The top two seeds, St Helens and Leeds Rhinos, will both play two of their three matches away from home.
Newly promoted Barrow Raiders face the sternest of tests in Group A as apart from the holders, they play a Warrington Wolves side boosted by the recent signings of twins Emily and Lucy Baggaley from Wigan Warriors, Grace Ramsden from Bradford Bulls and Katie-May Williams from St Helens.
Third opponents the Army are reckoned to have a very strong squad that will be tuned to maximum fitness.
In Group B, last season’s BWSL Shield winners Huddersfield Giants entertain Leeds Rhinos, while Hull FC visit Leigh Miners Rangers.
Bradford Bulls and Widnes Vikings are at home to Wigan Warriors and York City Knights respectively in the opening Group C fixtures, while Group D offers derby matches between Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Trinity, and Oulton Raidettes and Featherstone Rovers.
Group fixtures in full:
Sunday, March 13
- Group A: Barrow Raiders v St Helens; British Army v Warrington Wolves
- Group B: Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhinos; Leigh Miners Rangers v Hull FC
- Group C: Bradford Bulls v Wigan Warriors; Widnes Vikings v York City Knights
- Group D: Castleford Tigers v Wakefield Trinity; Oulton Raidettes v Featherstone Rovers
Sunday, March 27
- Group A: St Helens v British Army; Warrington Wolves v Barrow Raiders
- Group B: Hull FC v Leeds Rhinos; Leigh Miners Rangers v Huddersfield Giants
- Group C: Bradford Bulls v York City Knights; Wigan Warriors v Widnes Vikings
- Group D: Oulton Raidettes v Castleford Tigers; Wakefield Trinity v Featherstone Rovers
Sunday, April 3
- Group A: Warrington Wolves v St Helens; Barrow Raiders v British Army
- Group B: Leeds Rhinos v Leigh Miners Rangers; Hull FC v Huddersfield Giants
- Group C: Widnes Vikings v Bradford Bulls; York City Knights v Wigan Warriors
- Group D: Featherstone Rovers v Castleford Tigers; Wakefield Trinity v Oulton Raidettes
The top two teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals stage on the weekend of April 9-10.
The four group stage winners will each enjoy home advantage in the quarter-finals: the winner of Group A will play the runner-up from Group B; the Group B winner will host the Group A runner-up; Group C’s winner will play the Group D runner-up; and the winner of Group D will entertain the runner-up from Group C.
The semi-finals are scheduled for the weekend of April 23/24 and the final for Saturday, May 7 – part of an Elland Road triple header alongside the semi-finals of the men’s competition.
On the following weekend (Sunday, May 15) the Betfred Women’s Super League gets underway, with fixtures to be announced early in the New Year.
