Rugby League

Challenge Cup 1st Round

Sunday 12th January 2025

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.41

Eastern Rhinos 4 Wests Warriors 66, attendance 170

@ Colchester Sports Park, Artificial Pitch 2

Cuckoo Farm Way

Colchester

CO4 5YZ

No Admission or Programme.

This was a clash between two teams who play in the Southern Conference League, which is Tier 4 of the rugby league pyramid. Rather than switch the game to a borrowed venue, Eastern Rhinos chose to host at their normal home of Colchester Sports Park, across the other side of the A12 from the ground of Colchester United F.C. exiting the dual carriageway at the same roundabout. It is just a 3G cage, but unusually, the only pitch markings were rugby league specific. Although there is no designated spectator area inside the cage, they were able to rope off one side of the pitch, enabling pitch side viewing, or, as quite a few did, watch over the fence, from a couple of concrete steps down towards one corner. Considering it was a national cup game, it was surprising that no admission charge was made, nor match day programme issued, so despite a decent crowd, no money was made from it. Hot food and drinks were available from the adjacent building, which I assume is run by the sports park.

The match itself was a total thrashing. It only took Wests three minutes to get the opening try and they totally overran the hosts from that point. By halftime it was 0-34, with the visitors having added another five tries by then. A minute into the second half Wests added another try and they reached the half century of points just after the hour mark. As with the first half, Wests ran in six tries in the second half too. At least Rhinos managed to finally get a score on the board, going over in the corner right at the death, but were unable to convert, not that it really mattered by then.

Wests will now host the winners of the Army versus R.A.F. match in Round 2.