Rugby: Challenge Cup makes Wembley date

Rugby league’s prestigious Challenge Cup final is set to return to Wembley in 2006, according to chairman Sir Rodney Walker.

The 13-man game have put their famous knockout competition ‘‘on the road’’ since Wembley became unavailable in 2000 but Sir Rodney says the new National Stadium should be ready to host rugby league once more in four years’ time.

Sir Rodney, chairman of UK Sport, told a local radio station: ‘‘If things go well, we can look forward to the Challenge Cup returning to Wembley in 2006.

‘‘If we begin work on the site, as we hope, in the spring we have a 40-month build contract which will get us to the stadium being complete in about August 2005.’’

The final will return to Murrayfield for the second time in three years on April 27, and Sir Rodney revealed Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium will host the showpiece event in 2003 and 2005.

Dublin is thought to be among the candidates to plug the 2004 vacancy. But there are no plans to return to Twickenham, venue for last year’s final.

Sir Rodney added: ‘‘Under the arrangement that we’re negotiating with Cardiff, we’ve promised to take two finals to the Millennium Stadium between now and 2005. That leaves us basically one year we’ve not committed to, and we are looking at a possible new venue.’’

In the third-round draw for the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain sponsored tournament, made by Sir Rodney and British Amateur Rugby League Association chairman Maurice Oldroyd last night, former holders Featherstone Rovers were paired with fledgling club Gateshead Thunder in the only all-Northern Ford Premiership tie.

Of the 15 amateur survivors, Warrington club Woolston Rovers will fancy their chances of another giant-killing act after being paired with Hunslet, who have yet to win a game in the Premiership this season.

Woolston, coached by former Warrington and Great Britain forward John Fieldhouse, knocked out Chorley at the third-round stage last year and went down valiantly to Warrington at Wilderspool in the fourth round.

It is likely that their match against Hunslet will be staged at Wilderspool on the weekend of January 26-27.

The amateur teams were given the chance of home advantage for the first time since 1994 and six struck lucky.

However, the ties must be staged at the ground of a nearby professional club if the amateurs lack adequate facilities to host the games themselves.

The two French representatives received contrasting fortunes in the draw.

Toulouse, who crashed 44-0 at Hull KR last season, face a testing trip to Workington, while St Gaudens, coached by French national coach Giles Dumas, were paired with struggling Keighley at Cougar Park.

The 12 Super League clubs will join the competition at the fourth-round stage along with two more French outfits, Villeneuve and Union Treiziste Catalane (UTC), on the weekend of February 9-10.