French test for Oldham

OLDHAM fancy their chances of another bumper run in this year’s Carnegie Challenge Cup.

Having been picked to face French Elite League side Lézignan Sangliers at home in the fourth round last night — a draw which ensures that at least five Super League teams will definitely be eliminated from the competition’s last 16 — Roughyeds officials are already eyeing up the possibility of further progress.

The game, which is set to take place at Boundary Park on Sunday, April 5, represents the first time that Oldham have ever taken on French opponents, who got to this stage following an 18-6 win at Workington Town.

“It is a unique tie from the spectators’ point of view,” said Roughyeds chief executive Chris Hamilton.

“While there will be people who wished we had been drawn away, we are happy to be at home. Examining the rest of the draw, with five all-Super League clashes, as well as the Halifax-Widnes game, there could be a good chance of making further progress — though at the moment we are not looking that far forward.

“They will be no mugs and will no doubt be very physical as French teams tend to be. But it is a tie which we will be expecting to get through from.”

Elsewhere in the draw, holders St Helens have been paired with Super League champions Leeds Rhinos, while Wath Brow Hornets, the only amateur team certain to be in the fourth round, have been handed a trip to Featherstone.

Challenge Cup fourth round draw —

Wakefield v Leigh; Halifax v Widnes; Oldham v Lézignan; Leeds v St Helens; Keighley v Castleford; Catalans Dragons v Bradford; Featherstone v Wath Brow Hornets; Hull v Salford; Doncaster or Queens v Gateshead; Harlequins v Huddersfield; Barrow v Wigan; Sheffield v Dewsbury; Warrington v York; Swinton v Rochdale; Batley v Kells or Hunslet; Hull KR v Celtic Crusaders.

Ties will be played on the weekend of April 4-5.


ALL of Oldham’s first-team squad, plus coaching team and backroom staff, will be present at the Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre on Saturday (11am to 1pm) to sign posters of the official 2009 team line-up, plus anything else fans want autographed.



PAUL Cullen has been named as the new head coach at Widnes Vikings. The former Warrington and England coach replaces Steve McCormack, who lost his job in the wake of the Vikings’ 22-20 home loss to Oldham in the first game of the season.

Cullen’s first match in charge is on Thursday, as Widnes take on Toulouse in a televised Co-operative Championship encounter at the Stobart Stadium.