Its still Balding who will do the live games. Harry and Tanya do the half d Super League show.

Myself

Probably a good time for Fev to be playing them, though. Lost their last 2 games and Duggan can't enter UK.

Why's that then ?

I think they have done the draw like this because:



1. The clubs will lose less money than they would if big teams came across as in previous years ala, Leeds vs Hull, Leeds vs Saints.

2. Gaurenteed harder cup games in the next round with only two none Superleague clubs gaurenteed to get through, therefore, more revenue in the next round from people paying in.

edited for accuracy etc

Makes the home/away thing more important, though. Halifax had to leave a couple of their players at home when they played Toulouse due to lack of Schengen visas.

The game won't be played for another 7 weeks. Current form is largely irrelevant.







Tony Duggan was IIRC one of the players involved with the visa problems at Celtic Crusaders. I believe they were all deported and thus he cannot return to the UK for 10 years from that point so would have 8 or 9 years left before he can enter the UK.

Does he need a visa to enter the UK if he's not intending to stay in the UK or work for a UK employer?

He will be shot on site

Context being that they've lost 2 games in 2 weeks having gone through the season previously unbeaten - their last loss was the challenge cup game at Widnes, this time last year. Also, the rd4 challenge cup game is scheduled for the same weekend as a round of the french play-offs, so if they don't finish top of the league they might be sending a weakened team anyway (the french use the old Aussie top-5 style play-off).

The issue wouldn't be lack of a visa at the time of the cup game this year. Having been deported from the UK and barred entry for 10 years he is not allowed to enter the UK for any reason. It does not matter who employs him he cannot enter the country.



It isn't like the Greg Bird situation where he was allowed to play for Catalans in away games. Bird was denied a UK work visa, Duggan was deported.