Betfred Championship/League One fixtures: Featherstone Rovers take on Batley Bulldogs in opener

By YEP Sportsdesk
Published 14th Feb 2021, 16:00 BST
The Betfred Championship returns on the weekend of April 2-5. Picture: Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com.The Betfred Championship returns on the weekend of April 2-5. Picture: Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com.
The Betfred Championship returns on the weekend of April 2-5. Picture: Chris Mangnall/SWpix.com.
A West Yorkshire derby between Featherstone Rovers and Batley Bulldogs is among the highlights of the Betfred Championship opening weekend – with the competition also announcing it has suspended golden point extra-time for the 2021 campaign.

Fixtures have been revealed with Dewsbury Rams also hosting Whitehaven and Halifax playing their first game following their rebrand as the Panthers take on Danny Ward’s London Broncos at The Shay on the weekend of April 2 to 5.

Hunslet will kick off their Betfred League 1 campaign on the weekend of May 8-9 with a home clash against Workington.

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Following a meeting of Championship and League 1 clubs with the RFL last week, clubs agreed to ditch golden point for drawn matches following concerns expressed for the welfare of players who will have gone more than a year since their last fixture, and the majority of whom are part-time. The intention is to reintroduce golden point for the 2022 campaign.

It has also been agreed that positions on the league table in each competition will be determined by points percentage, as in the Betfred Super League last year.

This is to recognise the likelihood of fixtures being affected by Covid-19, with postponements permitted if a team loses seven or more players for Covid-related reasons – either players with positive tests, or who have been ruled out through test and trace analysis of close contacts in matches or training.