Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup

[Ronnie]

Friday 18 April 2008	Home	Away
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Saturday 19 April 2008	Home	Away
Harlequins v Castleford (17:30BST)	-10	+10	Details »
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Sunday 20 April 2008	Home	Away
Barrow Raiders v Hunslet Hawks (15:00BST)	-24	+24	Details »
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Batley Bulldogs v Dewsbury Rams (15:00BST)	-8	+8	Details »
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Doncaster RLFC v Widnes Vikings (15:00BST)	+16	-16	Details »
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Featherstone Rovers v Catalans (15:00BST)	+30	-30	Details »
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Halifax RLFC v Huddersfield (15:00BST)	+20	-20	Details »
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Leigh Centurions v Warrington (15:00BST)	+24	-24	Details »
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Rochdale Hornets v Hull FC (15:00BST)	+38	-38	Details »
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St Helens v London Skolars (15:00BST)	-60	+60	Details »
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Swinton Lions v Oldham Roughyeds (15:00BST)	+12	-12	Details »
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Workington Town v Hull KR (15:30BST)	+36	-36	Details »
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Salford v Wakefield (17:30BST)	+12	-12	Details »

A break from Super league this week as the Challenge cup takes over. Not too up on the lower league teams, hoping Punto can give a few pointers to one or two games :ok

[Ronnie]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup The Batley game looks of interest, Batley went to Dewsbury and beat them 29-16 last thursday on Sky. Bet365 are going Batley -8 @ evs, am i missing something here or are the bookies getting a bit confused?

[Punto83]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup Were you expecting Batley to be more than -8, like -16 or something Ronnie?

[Ronnie]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup Well Batley were +6 i belive away at Dewsbury last week and looking at the tables and last weeks result i would've expected -10/12, but as i said i ain't no div one expert.

[Punto83]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup Having a quick look at the coupon I'd back Catalans and Hull FC. I think Cats are a shoe-in. Fev without Captain Stuart Dickens and ex wakefield player Jamie Field as well as Blackway. Ian Tonks has retired so that's 4 forwards out already

[Punto83]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup

Well Batley were +6 i belive away at Dewsbury last week and looking at the tables and last weeks result i would've expected -10/12' date=' but as i said i ain't no div one expert.[/quote'] Ok mate, I think they have been more cautious with it being a local Derby. I'll try and find out some team news if you are fancying them as my mate knows the Batley coach, infact we stood with him at Halifax last sunday :lol Both teams have key players 50/50 I think

[Ronnie]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup I'm thinking that the Quins/Cas game is going to be a close one, played much the same way as the league game that Quins just edged late on. Not 100% on the teams yet but i know Cas have both Dorn and Guttenbeil out through injury, but McGoldrick is back and may be the man to sway this match in the tigers favour. I thought Castleford started off the better team last week against Hull, but let themselves down in the last quarter, this is where i think McGoldrick is going to make a difference and with proper use of the ball they could well sneak this one, but i'm going to play safe with the hcp. Castleford +10 10/11 @ Skybet Also taking Peter Lupton to score anytime, he's been in great attacking form this season scoring 5 tries already, i think his presence near the line will be invaluable tonight. Peter Lupton Anytime score 4/1 @ Skybet

[Punto83]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup Did'nt get to see the game aprt from the last 10 mins but you must have been confident at half time :(. Hardlines Ronnie If I have time tomorrow, I'll write up a preview for Featherstone vs Catalan

[Punto83]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup Haven't got time to see if any of the lines posted up by Ronnie have changed so I will use those as my guide. My main preview is of the Featherstone vs Catalan game but I'm also going to tip a team in each game, mainly for my own benefit to see how many I call correctly (or more than likely incorrectly :lol) Featherstone vs Catalans I was pleasantly surprised when the line was -30. A relatively big handicap to overcome but its one that I can see Catalans achieving. These teams faced each other last year and Catalans ran home 70-10/12 winners (I think that was the scoreline). Last year the game was in France and Catalans had Stacey Jones in their ranks. Both teams since then have arguably improved, Catalans went on to be runners up in the competition and have started very well in Super League this season whilst Fev went on to win promotion to NL1. Featherstone have a very good home record over the last 2 years only losing twice whilst Catalans are not renowned for free-scoring rugby but they will win today and it's only a question of how many. Catalans are resting Fakir, Croker, McGuire and Gorrell but fly over with the likes of Greenshields, Mogg, Bosc, Elima, Guissett etc so they will be no mugs. Featherstone on the other hand are not playing well IMO. We beat Whitehaven convincingly but a game later their coach left and their fortunes have improved since whilst in our last home game we beat Leigh well but their coach was sacked/ resigned the day after presumably out of embarassment :lol We lack invention going forward, very old style rugby banging up the middle with Wayne Pryce standing out on the wing (who last saw the ball in the middle of February) standing their trying to keep his hands warm. Last week we played a poor Halifax side and lost 30-10, with our only trying coming from a 70 meter interception try. My mole says our stand off Andy Kain maybe dropped today and that we are without captain Stuart Dickens, Jamie Field, Richard Blakeway (all forwards) whilst another prop retired a couple of weeks ago. The pack looks very weak with only Tony Tonks and Tommy Haughey (who had a suspected broken hand a couple of weeks ago) lining up alongside some relatively unexperienced players, one lad who has only played once in the last 18 months. Confidence is very low at the moment and morale within the team isn't great from what I'm hearing. The weather is drizzly but the pitch at Fev is in very good nick. I have every confidence that Catalans can easily rack up at least 40/50 points it's just a matter how many times Fev can get over the whitewash and whether Catalans will take their foot off the gas. My bet though Catalans -30 Right the other games, any potential shocks? Can't really see it, the last NL side to beat a Super league team was Hull KR against Warrington a couple of years ago and Hull KR were virtually Super League quality. Salford vs Wakefield will be an interesting one with all Wakesfield's injuries. After seeing Salford, I don't think they are as strong as either Hull KR a couple of years ago or Castleford. The difference between Super league and NL1 rugby is huge, full tierms vs part timers.... it's getting to the point where this round is becoming a waste of time. I'd say the gulf between Super League and NL1 is on par with the Premiership in Footy with League Two/ Conference. The only thing to be wary of, is team selections by Super league sides using the opportunity to give fringe first teamers a run out. Even so, fringe first teamers are more than capable and better than their national league counterparts. So before any bets check starting line-ups. Skysports score centre live online is the best source of this info. Barrow vs Hunslet Hunslet are very poor side, propping up all the other teams in the Professional/ Semi pro ladder. They will be travelling up today which will be a hinderance. 24 is still a lot to cover even though Barrow are promotion contenders in the same league. Be a definate no bet to me, but I'd side with Barrow Batley vs Dewsbury Ronnie was quick to pick out this game and was right to do so. Batley beat Dewsbury last week and from what I hear on the grapevine, all is not well at Dewsbury. They (like Featherstone) will have one eye on next week when they visit Fev which is already becoming a relegation game. The local derby factor worries me as anything can happen and losing on their own turf on Sky will have hurt Dewsbury. I'd have to go with Batley though, they are much better drilled side and Dewsbury rely on a few individuals. Doncaster vs Widnes I haven't seen either side this year, Doncaster have legend Ellery Hanley as coach and a few quality players within their ranks. Widnes had a good draw against Salford last week and I think they will have too much. Got to go with Widnes to cover Halifax vs Huddersfield I'm in the unique position of seeing both teams last weekend and I was disappointed with each. Halifax will be without play maker Graham Holroyd (injured last week) and I thought they were poor last week. Tehy have the potential to be a good side and pushed Melbourne Storm all the way several weeks ago. Huddersfield were dire last week against Wakefield especially going forward but I think they will be up for this. Local derby again, only concern is the pitch. It's very sandy and rain won't help today. Huddersfield are my tip though. Leigh vs Warrington Hard one to call, Leigh sacked their coach recently and I'm never impressed with Warrington. Warrington should win at a canter but I think Leigh could cause a surprise and come within -24. Rochdale vs Hull Rochdale are coached by ex Saints legend Bobbie Goulding and are a competent side, I haven't seen them live for 2 or 3 years but the gulf in quality between NL2 and Super league is huge. Hull FC put 80/90 last season against Hunslet at the KC stadium and they should run riot again today. Hull FC for me. St. Helens vs Skolars Skolars have improved over recent seasons causing a few upsets in NL2 and the Northern Rail Cup, not sure what kind of side Saints will be putting out but Saints should win by 60+. Swinton vs Oldham Local derby again between two NL2 sides, Oldham gunning for promotion after reaching the play off final last season, Swinton looking to scrape into the play offs. Oldham have more quality and strike players, so I'll go for Oldham to win by at least 12 Workington Vs Hull KR Difficult place to go for Hull, a long trip across the M62 and either the A1 or M62. Again team selection is crucial, all things being equal, Hull KR should hammer a poor Workington side. Salford vs Wakefield This is the TV game, Salford are a full time side. I think Wakefield will have enough though to beat the handicap. Another game not on Ronnie's post is Wigan vs Pia, at Skybet it's Wigan -52. I was at the JJB yesterday for football and the pitch isn't as bad as people make it out to be. Pia are a decent french side, if their heads don't drop they could push them close despite being part time. I'll go with Pia to come within 52. :ok

[Punto83]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup Well, proved wrong today. Fev 12-22 Catalans. We had a prefectly good try chalked off too and penalty against that was 7-13 until the final 5 mins when Thler tried to even it up. I only got 4 right, 1 game in on the coupon and Rochdale vs Hull is an interesting one. Hull +38 and win by 37 due a drop goal from Rochdale at some point ;) Erm....

[Ronnie]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup Nice post's Punto, you could've done with a bit more luck though. Family's had a sickness bug so no sport for me today, just a lot of cleaning up after the kids and wife :puke

[Punto83]

Re: Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup Cheers Ronnie, pleased Leigh came within the handicap as I called against Warrington. I think the draw is Tuesday evening. Argh, seems like a bug is going around this neck of the woods. Hope they perk up soon! ;)