Has anyone caught the sh*t-storm with the RFL and the No.6 and No.9 balls?

Apparently the No.6 ball was read from the draw as the No.9 ball (and vice versa).

It has been claimed that the RFL used a different set of balls in the draw to the ones that have said they used.

Office pic from the RFL with the No.9 ball underlined:



Screen grab off of the telly with no underline:



You decide.

The RFL making themselves look like mugs again, who would have predicted that?

Have to agree with this. Leeds were just as likely to get Dewsbury and Hunslet as Wigan were to get Wakefield and St. Helens.

For all the glass-half-empty people on here - look at it this way - if we beat St Helens and Wigan get Wolves in the next round, we would have a very good chance of getting to the final as there wouldn't be much left in it.

Also, the complaining of the easiness of Wigan's draw says more about the seemingly poor depth of ability in the sport across the leagues. If there are only Leeds, Wigan, Saints, Hudds and Wolves who are any good in the whole system in the UK and France, then it is up to the rest of the teams to slowly improve and make it more of a contest.

Will do Dewsbury and Hunslet good to play Wigan - give them some sense of how far off they are being SL quality and (you would hope) a chance to get some real learning and experience to then take into their league games, thus making their leagues a bit better.

Who will be off to watch the game at Headingley, then? I know i am new and still probably too optimistic for many on here, but i really like the CC and (as i've said) if we can beat Saints, then in theory we should have a good chance as Saints were the best team in the whole thing to start.

Get yourselves down to Headers, make some noise and do your bit in making it a bit harder for Saints to win. Come on South Standers!

Unless you're getting your tin foil hats back out, the draw is as close to a random process as it's realistic to make it. I seem to remember Leeds playing Toulouse in a semi final not all that long ago. We also played all our main rivals (pretty much) en route to a relatively easy final in '99. Funny how these things work out. That's random processes for you.

Indeed. And also, Leeds are one of the big teams - fair enough if we were a Cas or a HKR or someone, complaining about an unfortunate set of difficult draws. If we are complaining about getting the likes of Saints, imagine how disheartening it must be for the likes of Bradford and Wakefield when they get the likes of us and Saints roll in to town - CC dreams more than likely dashed for another year.

Saints will be as fed up about the draw as people on here are, but if we beat them then i'd imagine we'd probably be favourites. Most be a dire set of circumstances when pretty much the biggest team in SL is complaining about consistently 'difficult draws!'

Imagine how all the other 'poor' teams feel when they get such draws come out!

i never have a problem facing big teams in the CC. we would have to face them at some point. if we win, its one less rival. if we lose it better to do it when there's less at stake, then the players can have rest weeks. I'd like to think Leeds can do it, as the likes of Sinfield deserve a CC medal to go with their fistful of rings

Infinitely preferable to a ringful of ...

If I was home would eagerly awaiting Leeds saints,but if we drew The old enemy Hunslet who will never be what they were,I would just say 'oh well let's get it over with'win or lose Leeds and Saints fans have got the best draw

Leeds Carnegie game has been moved forward to Friday. Leeds vs Saints is on Saturday with a 2:30pm kickoff on the BBC.

Please can we get to the Final and Win it????? Been far too long since Barrie Mac side stepped his way over the line at old Wembley!!

Exxxcellent.....

This has always been my approach to the vagaries of the Challenge Cup draws - this post should be saved somewhere and reproduced every year.

_____

Leeds are at home on a ground they have taken on average 75% of the points on offer throughout the SL Era. Even under the current coach Leeds are maintaining that overall average despite the steady decline from Smith (80%) through McClennan (78%) while Murray (84%) retains the best record of all.

V St Helens at Headingley it's much tighter overall (56%) but Leeds in knock-out football (CC and PO) have won in 4 from 5 (80%)

The current coach's three predecessors all ended with 50:50 records V the Saints and considering a comparatively lean time of late (trophy wise) for SL's most successful club, McDermott's 3 from 9 record overall is disappointing but when it crucially matters in knock-out football he's defending a 2 and 0 record.