For many rugby league followers, Sunday’s Challenge Cup semi-finals provide the sport’s most prestigious competition with a long overdue occasion. While the Wembley final remains the thriving centrepiece of the domestic calendar, the semi-finals have undoubtedly stagnated in recent years. The announcement from the RFL in May, therefore, to merge the two games into one double-header at Bolton this weekend was met with unanimous positivity – a rarity in rugby league.
The decision has already proven worthwhile. Over the last three years, attendances for the semi-finals have failed even to average 12,000 but this Sunday there will be a sell-out crowd of 28,000.
Written by Aaron Bower
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/04/challenge-cup-bolton-semi-finals-st-helens-catalans-warrington-leeds under the title “Challenge Cup’s overdue day in the Bolton sun is a chance to shine”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
