You're the authority on being banned from this place Bazza. That and fat people apparently. What a resume you have. If you ever make it out of the place you're in give the Australian Consulate a ring - they may take you home.

Actually, maybe I did react too quickly. I get pretty defensive about The Championship but really, in it's current format this competition is not helping the lower league clubs. I'm off now to have a rethink and to take on board the ideas of more reasoned posters like yourself. Carry on sir.

i can see what the problem with the challenge cup is.its the fact that all sl clubs have a clear advantage over championship clubs as they are full time professionals,and the result is shocks are rare,which nulifies the romance of the cup.
personally though id rather win(or contest) a trophy at the national stadium, which as a venue must surely rank as a better experience for a fan or player then old trafford.

Funny how you guys want to fix it up and us in the Southern Hemisphere just want one

Why on earth do you insist on calling me Bazza?

No problem mate. I also want what's good for championship teams as I love rugby league.

These days the championship sides dont even benefit from good gate money as the crowds for these games are now terrible.

Something does need doing to restore the cup to what's it knce was but I'm lost for ideas as what can be done.

European-ise it as I suggested over time to increase rather than diminish its relevance.

Like i said on the Wigan board

bring it back a month and have 1 round per month

4th round in March
5th round in April
Quarters in May
Semi in June
Final in July

it's a full 3 months before the GF

I agree it needs to be scheduled in a better way to give it more respect. To stop the cricket scores it might be worthwhile to restrict the super league overseas players to 3 only, similar to the championship 1 and 2 quota.
The 4th round free tickets needs to be scrapped, again to put money into the championship 1 and 2 clubs.
It's all super league top heavy, the RFL have lost some of there traditional values.

I think the quota rule should be based on the weaker side.
eg

Warrington playing Swinton should have played with the restrictions that Swinton have in playing overseas players.
but in a game like Wakey/Cas you can play full quota.

Going back to my original point make the first week in the month challenge cup week from March to July.

Again agree the challenge cup final and grand final is too close together. You can win the challenge cup then after 4 weeks you are already in the super league play offs. Since the CC new final date, I think only one team has managed to do the domestic double. A July final would mean it doesn't have to compete with other sports in football/union etc.
What I would like to know is how much backbone do the RFL have when dealing with the BBC instead of letting them and SKY media dictate the shape of RL.

given the scheduling of the competition, the RFL dont have too much backbone. 2 rounds in 3 weeks in May, then over 2 months to the next round, then the next 3 rounds within a month is ridiculous.

there have always been runaway scores in cup games, its not a new phenomenon at all.