How does the new format of it work??

and are we in a group with the people we play still

All the English based Co-operative Championship and Championship One clubs have been divided equally into two pools for the group stages with five teams from each division in each pool. Each team will play two home games and two away games against teams in their pool

The two pools are split by division so that each club will play an equal number of The Co-operative Championship and The Co-operative Championship 1 clubs. The top four teams in each pool following the conclusion of the group stage fixtures will then progress into an open draw for the knock out quarter final stage.

The quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of July 6/7 with the semi finals being played on July 20/21. The Northern Rail Cup Final will be held at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool on Sunday July 12.

Meanwhile the 18 teams not involved in the Northern Rail Cup Final will participate in the inaugural Northern Rail 9’s celebration weekend which will also take place in Blackpool over the Northern Rail Cup Final weekend.

The draw for the 9’s competition will take place in June once the Northern Rail Cup finalists are confirmed.



[url=http://www.therfl.co.uk/~therflc/tables/table.php?id=91&z=nationalleaguecurrent league table[/url

[url=http://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/cgi-built/pages/fixtures_2008.htmour fixtures[/url Blackpool Panthers(H) , Hunslet Hawks(A) - won, Barrow Raiders(H) and Sheffield Eagles(A).

Ta



we should get through to quarters in thats pool

No. In a break with tradition, the RFL are putting on the final before the semis. It's up to the clubs to figure out how to do it. Those who cope the best will be given one franchise point.

It's probably not beyond RFL, after all this is the organisation that introduced the concept of chosing your opposition in a play off competition. Anythings possible

Have to say I would fancy us to win a 9's tournament with only 7 players

Academic though seeing as we will be in the final

As usual, Whitehaven will probably throw the proverbial spanner in the works!

If they get through the group stage (after the York result who knows?) I wouldn't mind getting them in a home draw, then Sky picking it for Telly and forcing them to move the game to the Thursday after they dragged their feet and eventually got their own way over moving the playoff game to the Sunday last year.

Still, One Step at a Time, we've got a tough game this weekend to get through, then a visit to Sheffield.

One thought I did have is playing the Blackpool game when we do might give us an advantage, because we should go into that game knowing exactley what we need to do to be through, Ie if we have to win by x number of points. As it'll probably be the last re-arranged group game unless furthur fixtures fall foul to the weather.

Whitehaven have to go to Leigh. Winner goes through, loser out. So we may manage to finally avoid them