Hull Kingston Rovers and the Rugby Football League will mark the 40th anniversary of one of the most famous Wembley finals when the Fifth Round draw of the Coral Challenge Cup is held at Hull College Craven Park tonight (Monday 24 February).
Rovers won the Challenge Cup for the first and only time in their history in 1980, beating their fierce local rivals Hull FC 10-5 in a final now etched in the city’s folklore, with the majority of the 95,000 crowd having travelled from East Yorkshire to take over Wembley Way.
Mike Smith, the Hull KR Chief Executive who was elected late last year to serve as the RFL’s Vice President from July, said: “It’s a special year for the club as we mark the 40th anniversary of that famous 1980 Wembley final, and we’re delighted to kick that off by hosting the Fifth Round draw at Hull College Craven Park.
“Our 2020 home shirt is a nod to the strip worn by the club’s Wembley heroes, and we’ve got a number of celebrations planned around our televised home Super League game against Warrington on April 30, with a commemorative dinner and a range of merchandise.
“It’s a pleasure and a privilege for us to host the Fifth Round draw as we enter the 2020 competition, and we look forward to welcoming the BBC team and a number of other special guests to Hull College Craven Park this evening.”
Rovers are one four Super League clubs joining the competition at this stage, along with Huddersfield Giants, Toronto Wolfpack and Wakefield Trinity. They join the winners of the 11 Fourth Round ties played at the weekend, plus Whitehaven and Dewsbury Rams, whose tie was postponed with a rearranged date to be confirmed as soon as possible. Hull FC will enter at the Sixth Round stage, along with cup holders Warrington Wolves and the rest of 2019’s top eight Super League sides.
Tonight’s draw will be streamed live on BBC Sport and Our League at 6.30pm. Joining the BBC’s Dave Woods to draw the teams out of the hat will be one of the members of Hull KR’s famous 1980 cup-winning side, the former Great Britain hooker and pack enforcer David Watkinson. Alongside David will be exiled Torontonian and Rugby League ‘superfan’ Sandy Shipley, as Toronto Wolfpack enter the competition for the first time since 2017.
Tonight’s ball numbers
Bradford Bulls
Featherstone Rovers
Huddersfield Giants
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hunslet
Leigh Centurions
Newcastle Thunder
Rochdale Hornets
Sheffield Eagles
Swinton Lions
Toronto Wolfpack
Wakefield Trinity
Whitehaven or Dewsbury Rams
Widnes Vikings
Workington Town
York City Knights
Fifth Round ties will be played on the weekend of 14/15 March. As in the previous two rounds, one tie will be selected for live streaming by BBC Sport, and another by the RFL’s Our League app.
2020 Coral Challenge Cup schedule
14/15 March: Fifth Round (12 Fourth Round winners, plus four Betfred Super League clubs – Huddersfield Giants, Hull KR, Toronto Wolfpack, Wakefield Trinity)
4/5 April: Sixth Round (8 Fifth Round winners, plus the remaining 8 Betfred Super League clubs)
9/10 May: Quarter Finals
6 June: Semi Finals
Saturday July 18: Final – Wembley Stadium
