Interesting piece here on the LRL website :

Clubs excluded from Yorkshire Cup

Doncaster chief executive Carl Hall has confirmed that both his club and Sheffield Eagles were not invited to partake in the newly formed Yorkshire Cup, report League Express.

The revival of the competition will take place in pre-season, commencing on January 5, with it ending on January 20. Batley, Bradford, Dewsbury, Featherstone, Halifax, York, Hunslet and Hunslet Club Parkside will all compete in the competition. Hall told League Express: “The long and short of it is that we were never asked, simple as that. My only opinion is how can they call it the Yorkshire Cup? Good luck to them. It’s not an RFL thing; the said clubs arranged it between themselves. They won’t be playing for the original Yorkshire Cup.”


Have we found the teams who sided with SL in the recent power grab then?

Exactly how I read it.

Interestingly, they are also two teams who benefited quite a bit from their Dual Reg arrangements last year. But I'm sure that's coincidence.

Yeah it's all politics at the moment. There was a list on the fax board of championship teams that sided with SL. Donny, Worky, Sheffield, Rochdale were definitely teams that sided with SL from what I remember. As Hamster said, I'm sure it' coincidence they sided with SL and that they benefit heavily from D/R. Them even calling it the Yorkshire cup is just trying to wind the SL clubs up I think.

There's a power vaccum at the moment due to RFL incompetence and chairman from all sides are trying grab it.

I hadn't considered this but it's an excellent point.

Has the game ever been more divided?

We need strong and stable leadership from the rfl.

There I said it! You were all thinking it but I said it!!!!!

Stable and strong? At this time of year, donkeys spring to mind for some reason

r

It is reminiscent of the old row between BARLA and the RFL. But it is more serious.
I know Andrew Chalmers receives a lot of stick on here for his " incendiary" comments but I have to say, the points he makes about the Superleague grab for power find favour with me. I am in agreement with his opinions regarding the blackmail leading to the restructure and the unilateral rule changes announced by Elstone,

The RFL must be the most ineffective " ruling " body in sport with the latest error being the disgraceful demands for bonds from Toulouse, Toronto and Catalans .

That was my first thought

Is the Yorkshire Cup a round robin?

What if we get nicked out first round?

Each club will end up playing three fixtures guaranteed. There is a plate for teams knocked out in the first round, and presumably any exiting after this its just a simple agreement to make up the fixtures through friendlies.

So for example (purely surmising as an example):

Week One - 5th/6th January
Yorkshire Cup 1st Round:
York v Hunslet Club Parkside - York Win
Dewsbury v Featherstone - Fev Win
Batley v Hunslet - Batley Win
Bradford v Halifax - Bulls Win

Week Two - 12th/13th January
Yorkshire Cup Semi Finals:
York v Featherstone - Fev Win
Batley v Bradford - Batley Win

Plate Trophy Semi Finals:
Hunslet Club Parkside v Dewsbury - Dewsbury Win
Hunslet v Halifax - Fax Win

Week Three - 19th/20th January
Yorkshire Cup Final:
Featherstone v Batley

Plate Final:
Dewsbury v Halifax

Friendlies:
Bradford vs Hunslet Club Parkside
Hunslet vs York