The tie of the fourth round of the Challenge Cup pitched the London Broncos against the York City Knights as to of the top sides in the Championship did battle for a place in the fifth round.

The Broncos had started the season with three straight wins whereas the Knights are pointless after two run outs losing to Leigh and Toulouse.

The Broncos were the favourites with the bookies but York’s season needed to start somewhere, and why not against last seasons relegated side.

The magic of the Challenge Cup was very much alive when National Conference Premier division amateur side, Underbank Rangers from Huddersfield, were drawn away at Bradford Bulls.

Windy conditions as the teams reached the playing surface could have acted as a leveller, but the odds and the expectation were heavily with the Bulls, as they fielded a full strength squad, giving the visitors full respect.

This was a potential banana skin for the Bulls, and coach John Kear was determined that they wouldn’t slip on it.

When two Worlds collide, there can only be one winner. It was the night of Champions as Super League’s finest, St Helens, took on the cream of the ARL in the form of the Sydney Roosters.

The Roosters came to the UK as defending World Club Champions after defeating Wigan by 20-8 last year. They have also won the coveted title on four occasions, compared to Saints two. The last time the home side picked up the trophy was back in 2007 and the bookies believed that they were unlikely to taste glory tonight.

There was no place in the Saints squad for Regan Grace who is suffering concussion and Mark Percival, surgery suspended, also didn’t make the seventeen.

 Local bragging rights were up for grabs as fifth places Castleford Tigers hosted a Wakefield Trinity side who are currently ninth, but have a game in hand. A seven point win for the visitors would see them above their hosts but a big home win could see them top the table, depending on other results in round four.

The Tigers had a disappointing trip to the south of France last weekend where they lost out to the Catalans Dragons and they welcome back talisman Peter Mata’utia after he missed the last two games through suspension. Wakefield named an unchanged line-up from the side which beat the Warrington Wolves last time out.

Windy conditions threw a pre-match curve ball to both coaches but a big crowd anticipated a competitive game.

With the game between Halifax and the Dewsbury Rams falling victim to the weather, and being re-scheduled for Tuesday evening, the remaining games were all played out on Sunday afternoon.

The late kick off was between the divisional new boys as Oldham travelled to Whitehaven, but there was plenty to whet the appetite in the afternoon matches. Bradford had a home game against Featherstone Rovers while the Sheffield Eagles looked to upset Touluse as they visited South Yorkshire.

Batley were at home to Swinton while there was the promise of two battle royal’s as York City Knights went to Leigh, and London were in Widnes to play the Vikings.

The two newly promoted sides to the Betfred Championship, neither if whom having had the best of starts to their 2020 season, met at the Recreation Ground in Whitehaven for a four-pointer at the wrong end of the table as Oldham were the visitors.

Both sides have started the season with two losses but knew a win would lift them towards the middle of the early season table, a loss though would leave either side anchored to the bottom moving into round four.

Either Hull FC or St Helens would end round three at the top of the league as the two sides met at the KCOM Stadium. Hull were defending their one hundred percent start to the season and knew that a win would guarantee them top spot, Saints needed a seven point winning margin and to hope that Warrington didn’t run in a big win against Wakefield.

Saints were without Mark Percival who has been ruled out for several months with a shoulder injury picked up in last weeks surprise loss to Warrington, but Tommy Makinson and Alex Walmsley were back in the line up.

Hull FC also made a few changes with Kelly, Satae, Faraimo and Savelio all missing for the home side, but Mahe Fonua would make his second debut after returning to Airlie Birds with Gareth Ellis back in at thirteen and Josh Griffin moved into the pack.

After falling victim to storm Ciara last weekend, the hastily re-arranged all Championship One  game between the Keighley Cougars and Newcastle Thunder took centre stage on Saturday afternoon.

A fourth round tie away at Siddal Rangers awaited the victors and with a great chance of progress against the amateur opposition a change of a fifth round game against one of the big Super League clubs was a real possibility.

Fresh from their win over the Toronto Wolfpack last weekend, the Salford Red Devils played host to a Huddersfield Giants side who are one hundred percent after just one outing so far in the 2020 season, and who had the benefit of a week off due to the storm.

Salford won two out of the three meeting last season and were slight favourites with the bookies to pick up the win, the Giants being given a two point start on the handicap coupon.

A sixteen point winning margin would put the Giants on the top of the table, the Red Devils needing a win to make fourth spot overnight.

Toronto Wolfpack are finding life in Super League to be far tougher than last seasons Championship campaign, and they have started the season with back to back losses which see’s them at the bottom of the table.

And the tough games just keep coming for the Canadians who faced a round three game at Wigan, against a Warriors side who have beaten Warrington, but lost to Castleford, so far in this campaign.

The Wolfpack were without Sonny Bill Williams who has returned to New Zealand for the birth of his fourth child, further lengthening the odds of a Toronto win with the bookies, the home side were massive pre-game favourites.