2015 Kingstone Press Championship fixtures

Correspondent

Champions Leigh Centurions will usher in an extraordinary new era for the Kingstone Press Championship in 2015 with a home fixture against Bradford Bulls at Leigh Sports Village.

The showdown between two teams with strong promotion ambitions will provide a mouthwatering start to the new season on Sunday February 15 on the most important opening weekend in Championship history.

The 2015 season sees Rugby League embrace an exciting new structure that involves the 12 Super League clubs and 12 Championship clubs splitting into the Super 8s after 23 rounds to determine all the biggest issues of the year: promotion, relegation and Grand Final glory.

Round 1 of the Championship also sees London Broncos welcome Doncaster to The Hive where the team that finished bottom of Super League in 2014 faces the club led by the Championship’s Coach of the Year, Paul Cooke.

Elsewhere, 2014 Championship runners up Featherstone Rovers take on newly-promoted Hunslet Hawks, Sheffield Eagles travel to Dewsbury Rams, Whitehaven host Halifax and Batley Bulldogs are at home to Workington Town.

RFL Chief Operating Officer Ralph Rimmer said: “The new league structure allows for the return of sustainable promotion and relegation across all competitions and with so much at stake for every club, 2015 promises to be the greatest Championship season of all.

“The Super 8s and Summer Bash will each bring their own exciting new dimension to a year where every minute of every match will matter for every club.”

Each team will play 23 games in the regular season: home and away against the other 11 clubs plus, and in an exciting new addition to the Rugby League calendar, one additional fixture in the Summer Bash at Bloomfield Road in Blackpool over the Bank Holiday weekend of May 23 – 24. Details of fixtures and ticket availability for the Summer Bash will be announced in mid-November.

The Summer Bash sees a whole round of Kingstone Press Championship fixtures, three on each day take place over two action-packed days at the world’s most famous seaside resort. As well as the Championship games, Blackpool will also host the final of the new League 1 Cup on the Saturday and feature a fantastic package of activities off the field to keep the whole family entertained.

After all 23 rounds have been played, the top four Championship clubs will join the bottom four of Super League in a Super 8 pool called the Qualifiers. The remaining eight Championship clubs will go on to a Super 8 pool called the Championship Shield.

After playing each other once, the top three Qualifiers will be awarded Super League status in 2016 with the final promotion spot determined by the Million Pound Game involving team four and five.

The Championship Shield will culminate with play-off final at the Kingstone Press Championship Finals Day on October 4, an event which will also feature two other matches: the League 1 play-off final and the Conference Challenge Trophy final.

The teams finishing seventh and eighth in the Championship Shield after seven fixtures will be relegated to League 1 for 2016.

Sky Sports will screen selected matches from the Kingstone Press Championship in 2015, including all six matches from the Summer Bash at Blackpool.

Full details of the new league structure, including an easy-to-understand video, can be found by visiting www.extraordinaryrugby.com

2015 KEY DATES – KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

February

Weekend of 12-15 – Championship Round One

March

Weekend of 21-22 – Challenge Cup 4th round (Championship clubs enter)

April

Weekend of 11-19 – Challenge Cup 5th round (bottom four clubs from Super League in 2014 enter)

May

Weekend of 16-17 – Challenge Cup 6th round (top eight Super League clubs from 2014 enter)

Weekend of 23-24 – Summer Bash at Blackpool

June

Weekend of 27-28 – Challenge Cup quarter-finals

August

Weekend of 1-2 – Challenge Cup semi-finals

Weekend of 8-9 – Super 8s begin – Super League, Qualifiers and Championship Shield

Saturday 29th – Challenge Cup final at Wembley

September

Weekend of 26-27 – Championship Shield semi-finals

October

Weekend of 3-4 – The Million Pound Game and Championship Shield Final

Kingstone Press Championship fixtures 2015

Round Date    Home Away   KO Time (Local Time)

1          15/02/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Workington Town        3pm

1          13/02/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Sheffield Eagles          8pm

1          15/02/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Hunslet Hawks            3pm

1          15/02/2015      Leigh Centurions         Bradford Bulls 3pm

1          15/02/2015      London Broncos          Doncaster       3pm

1          15/02/2015      Whitehaven     Halifax 3pm    

 

2          22/02/2015      Bradford Bulls Whitehaven     3pm

2          22/02/2015      Doncaster       Featherstone Rovers  TBC

2          22/02/2015      Halifax Leigh Centurions         3pm

2          22/02/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Batley Bulldogs           3pm

2          22/02/2015      Sheffield Eagles          London Broncos          TBC

2          22/02/2015      Workington Town        Dewsbury Rams                    3pm

 

3          01/03/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Halifax 3pm

3          01/03/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Bradford Bulls 3pm

3          01/03/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Dewsbury Rams                     3pm

3          01/03/2015      Leigh Centurions         London Broncos          3pm

3          01/03/2015      Whitehaven     Sheffield Eagles          3pm

3          01/03/2015      Workington Town        Doncaster       3pm

 

4          08/03/2015      Bradford Bulls Hunslet Hawks            3pm

4          08/03/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Whitehaven     3pm

4          08/03/2015      Doncaster       Leigh Centurions         TBC

4          08/03/2015      Halifax Featherstone Rovers  3pm

4          08/03/2015      London Broncos          Workington Town        3pm

4          08/03/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Batley Bulldogs           TBC

 

5          15/03/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Bradford Bulls 3pm

5          15/03/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Leigh Centurions         3pm

5          15/03/2015      Halifax Dewsbury Rams                     3pm

5          15/03/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Doncaster       3pm

5          15/03/2015      Whitehaven     London Broncos          3pm

5          15/03/2015      Workington Town        Sheffield Eagles          3pm

 

6          29/03/2015      Bradford Bulls Workington Town        3pm

6          27/03/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Featherstone Rovers  8pm

6          29/03/2015      Doncaster       Batley Bulldogs           TBC

6          29/03/2015      Leigh Centurions         Whitehaven     3pm

6          28/03/2015      London Broncos          Halifax 3pm

6          29/03/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Hunslet Hawks            TBC

 

7          03/04/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Dewsbury Rams                     7.30pm

7          03/04/2015      Bradford Bulls Halifax 8pm

7          03/04/2015      Doncaster       Sheffield Eagles          TBC

7          03/04/2015      Featherstone Rovers  London Broncos          TBC

7          03/04/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Leigh Centurions         2pm

7          03/04/2015      Workington Town        Whitehaven     3pm

 

8          06/04/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Bradford Bulls 3pm

8          06/04/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Sheffield Eagles          3pm

8          06/04/2015      Halifax Hunslet Hawks            3pm

8          06/04/2015      Leigh Centurions         Workington Town        3pm

8          06/04/2015      London Broncos          Batley Bulldogs           3pm

8          06/04/2015      Whitehaven     Doncaster       3pm

 

9          12/04/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Featherstone Rovers  3pm

9          12/04/2015      Bradford Bulls London Broncos          3pm

9          12/04/2015      Doncaster       Dewsbury Rams                     TBC

9          12/04/2015      Halifax Workington Town        3pm

9          12/04/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Whitehaven     3pm

9          12/04/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Leigh Centurions         TBC

 

10        26/04/2015      Doncaster       Bradford Bulls TBC

10        26/04/2015      Leigh Centurions         Batley Bulldogs           3pm

10        26/04/2015      London Broncos          Dewsbury Rams                     3pm

10        26/04/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Halifax TBC

10        26/04/2015      Whitehaven     Featherstone Rovers  3pm

10        26/04/2015      Workington Town        Hunslet Hawks            3pm

 

11        03/05/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Whitehaven     3pm

11        03/05/2015      Bradford Bulls Sheffield Eagles          3pm

11        03/05/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Leigh Centurions         3pm

11        03/05/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Workington Town        3pm

11        03/05/2015      Halifax Doncaster       3pm

11        03/05/2015      Hunslet Hawks            London Broncos          3pm

 

12        10/05/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Hunslet Hawks            3pm

12        10/05/2015      Leigh Centurions         Halifax 3pm

12        10/05/2015      London Broncos          Featherstone Rovers  3pm

12        10/05/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Doncaster       TBC

12        10/05/2015      Whitehaven     Bradford Bulls 3pm

12        10/05/2015      Workington Town        Batley Bulldogs           3pm

 

13        17/05/2015      Batley Bulldogs           London Broncos          3pm

13        17/05/2015      Bradford Bulls Featherstone Rovers  3pm

13        17/05/2015      Doncaster       Workington Town        TBC

13        17/05/2015      Halifax Whitehaven     3pm

13        17/05/2015      Leigh Centurions         Hunslet Hawks            3pm

13        17/05/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Dewsbury Rams                     TBC

 

14        Summer Bash fixtures at Blackpool on weekend of the 23rd/24th May                 

 

15        30/05/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Doncaster       3pm

15        30/05/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Batley Bulldogs           3pm

15        30/05/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Sheffield Eagles          3pm

15        30/05/2015      London Broncos          Bradford Bulls 3pm

15        30/05/2015      Whitehaven     Leigh Centurions         3pm

15        30/05/2015      Workington Town        Halifax 3pm

 

16        07/06/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Sheffield Eagles          3pm

16        07/06/2015      Bradford Bulls Doncaster       3pm

16        07/06/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Workington Town        3pm

16        07/06/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Halifax 3pm

16        07/06/2015      London Broncos          Leigh Centurions         3pm

16        07/06/2015      Whitehaven     Hunslet Hawks            3pm

 

17        14/06/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Leigh Centurions         3pm

17        14/06/2015      Bradford Bulls Dewsbury Rams         3pm

17        14/06/2015      Doncaster       London Broncos          TBC

17        14/06/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Halifax 3pm

17        14/06/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Whitehaven     TBC

17        14/06/2015      Workington Town        Featherstone Rovers  3pm

 

18        21/06/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Halifax 3pm

18        21/06/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Doncaster       3pm

18        21/06/2015      Leigh Centurions         Sheffield Eagles          3pm

18        21/06/2015      London Broncos          Hunslet Hawks            3pm

18        21/06/2015      Whitehaven     Batley Bulldogs           3pm

18        21/06/2015      Workington Town        Bradford Bulls 3pm

 

19        28/06/2015      Bradford Bulls Batley Bulldogs           3pm

19        28/06/2015      Doncaster       Whitehaven     TBC

19        28/06/2015      Halifax London Broncos          3pm

19        28/06/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Featherstone Rovers  3pm

19        28/06/2015      Leigh Centurions         Dewsbury Rams                     3pm

19        28/06/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Workington Town        TBC

 

20        05/07/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Doncaster       3pm

20        05/07/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Dewsbury Rams                     3pm

20        05/07/2015      Halifax Sheffield Eagles          3pm

20        05/07/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Bradford Bulls 3pm

20        05/07/2015      London Broncos          Whitehaven     3pm

20        05/07/2015      Workington Town        Leigh Centurions         3pm

 

21        12/07/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     London Broncos          3pm

21        12/07/2015      Doncaster       Hunslet Hawks            TBC

21        12/07/2015      Halifax Batley Bulldogs           3pm

21        12/07/2015      Leigh Centurions         Featherstone Rovers  3pm

21        12/07/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Bradford Bulls TBC

21        12/07/2015      Whitehaven     Workington Town        3pm

 

22        19/07/2015      Batley Bulldogs           Hunslet Hawks            3pm

22        19/07/2015      Bradford Bulls Leigh Centurions         3pm

22        19/07/2015      Doncaster       Halifax TBC

22        19/07/2015      Sheffield Eagles          Featherstone Rovers  TBC

22        19/07/2015      Whitehaven     Dewsbury Rams                     3pm

22        19/07/2015      Workington Town        London Broncos          3pm

 

23        26/07/2015      Dewsbury Rams                     Batley Bulldogs           3pm

23        26/07/2015      Featherstone Rovers  Whitehaven     3pm

23        26/07/2015      Halifax Bradford Bulls 3pm

23        26/07/2015      Hunslet Hawks            Workington Town        3pm

23        26/07/2015      Leigh Centurions         Doncaster       3pm

23        26/07/2015      London Broncos          Sheffield Eagles          3pm