There’s a Rugby League bonanza coming to London and the South East this month, with excitement at all levels of the game – from the strictly social to the Betfred Challenge Cup and the lure of Wembley Stadium.
First up is the launch of the Southern Conference League which kicks off this weekend (April 15) with London Chargers taking on Brentwood Eels at Chiswick Kings House School. Elsewhere, Challenge Cup third rounders Wests Warriors will travel to Bedford Tigers and Hammersmith Hills Hoist will welcome Eastern Rhinos – all three fixtures kick off at 2:30pm.
The following weekend (April 22/23) will see London Broncos’ Men’s and Women’s sides in Challenge Cup action, with both finals of the competition taking place together at Wembley Stadium for the first time on Saturday 12 August.
Broncos’ Women sit in Group Four of the competition and will face cup-holders St Helens on Saturday (April 22) at Rosslyn Park. The 2pm kick off is the first of three matches that the Bronco’s will face during the group stages – their following fixtures will be away to Warrington Wolves on May 7 and at home against Castleford Tigers on May 21.
Broncos fans will be treated to another Challenge Cup showdown on Sunday (April 23) when the Men’s team entertain Dewsbury Rams in their Fifth Round tie which kicks off at 3pm. The Sixth Round draw will be broadcast live on the BBC News Channel’s Sportsday programme on Monday 24 April, 6.30pm.
Sunday’s Broncos action will be rounded off with two youth games at Richmond Athletic Ground when the Scholarship team play St Helens at 1:30pm and the Academy Squad face Leeds Rhinos at 3:20pm.
In the Community Game, the U14 and U16 London Junior League’s will kick off on April 15 with U14 champions Hemel Stags beginning their title defence against Brixton Bulls and U16 title holders Eastern Rhinos facing Brentwood.
Hemel Stags will host a range of events once again this year following their impressive facility development made possible by the RLWC2021 CreatedBy programme - starting with an RFL Volunteer Roadshow on April 22.
The event will give anybody interested in becoming a Rugby League volunteer the chance to meet likeminded people and hear what community volunteering means to them and will be taking place alongside the London Junior League U12s Preseason 9s Festival so those interested can see the impact of volunteering and how this brings communities together.
There is also plenty of opportunity to get involved with a social variant of the game in April. RFL partner, Try Tag Rugby League, will be offering free taster sessions to players of all ages and abilities in London, Maidenhead and Brighton & Hove throughout the month ahead of the Early Summer Season which begins on April 24.
Sign up for the RFL Volunteer Roadshow in Hemel Stags is available here and free Try Tag Rugby taster sessions can be found here.
