The 2017 League 1 Cup known as the 2017 iPro Sport cup for sponsorship reasons[1] is the third running of the competition, first played in 2015.

2017 League 1 Cup
Duration4 Rounds
Number of teams16
WinnersBarrow Raiders
Runners-upNorth Wales Crusaders
Biggest home win68–14 Barrow Raiders v Oxford (semi-final)
Biggest away win12–48 Hemel Stags v Gloucestershire All Golds (first round)

The 2017 competition was won by Barrow Raiders who defeated North Wales Crusaders 38–32 in the final at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool on 27 May 2017.

The League 1 Cup competition is for the rugby league clubs in the British League 1 - the third tier of rugby league in Britain. There are 16 teams in League 1 but Canadian club Toronto Wolfpack declined to enter the tournament. As a result, amateur team and 2016 Conference Challenge Trophy winners Rochdale Mayfield were invited into the competition to bring the numbers to 16.[2]

Teams

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Team Appearance First appearance Last appearance
  Barrow Raiders 3rd 2015 2016
  Coventry Bears 3rd 2015 2016
  Doncaster 2nd 2016 2016
  Gloucestershire All Golds 3rd 2016 2016
  Hemel Stags 3rd 2016 2016
  Hunslet Hawks 2nd 2016 2016
  Keighley Cougars 3rd 2015 2016
  London Skolars 3rd 2015 2016
  Newcastle Thunder 3rd 2015 2016
  North Wales Crusaders 3rd 2015 2016
  Oxford 3rd 2015 2016
Rochdale Mayfield 1st 2017 N/A
  South Wales Ironmen 3rd 2015 2016
  Whitehaven 1st 2017 N/A
  Workington Town 1st 2017 N/A
  York City Knights 3rd 2015 2016

First round

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The first round draw of the 2016 iPro Sport Cup was broadcast live on BBC Radio Leeds on 20 December 2016 from 6.45pm. For the first round the teams were split into two pools – Pool A (Northern regions) and Pool B (Midlands and Southern regions). Ties to be played over the weekend of 18–19 February 2017.

The draw was made by former Keighley player Paul Handforth (man of the match in 2016 final) and BBC Leeds presenter and former footballer Paul Ogden.[3]

Pool A

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Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
Rochdale Mayfield 18 – 46   Barrow Raiders 18 February 2017, 14:00 Rochdale Mayfield RLFC T. Crashley 300 (estimated)
  Whitehaven 6 – 22   Workington Town 19 February 2017, 14:00 Recreation Ground C. Straw 908
  Hunslet Hawks 10 – 34   Newcastle Thunder 19 February 2017, 15:00 South Leeds Stadium B. Robinson 449
  Keighley Cougars 30 – 22   Doncaster 19 February 2017, 15:00 Cougar Park J. McMullen 520
  York City Knights 16 – 17[a]   North Wales Crusaders 19 February 2017, 15:00 Bootham Crescent N. Bennett 620
Source:[4]
  1. ^ After golden point overtime

Pool B

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Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
  Oxford Rugby League 30 – 28   Coventry Bears 18 February 2017, 14:00 Tilsley Park G. Dolan 121
  Hemel Stags 12 – 48   Gloucestershire All Golds 19 February 2017, 14:00 Pennine Way Stadium M. Rossleigh 107
  South Wales Ironmen 16 – 24   London Skolars 19 February 2017, 15:00 The Wern L. Moore 122
Source:[4]

Quarter finals

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The draw was made immediately after the conclusion of the first round matches.

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
  Gloucestershire All Golds 30 – 22   Workington Town 1 April 2017, 14:30 Derwent Park[a] M. Rossleigh 378
  Oxford Rugby League 24 – 20   London Skolars 1 April 2017, 14:30 Tilsley Park A. Sweet 105
  Barrow Raiders 28 – 6   Keighley Cougars 2 April 2017, 14:00 Craven Park N. Bennett 828
  Newcastle Thunder 16 – 24   North Wales Crusaders 2 April 2017, 15:00 Kingston Park J. McMullen 345
Source:[5]
  1. ^ Gloucestershire forfeited home advantage due to the unavailability of their home ground

Semi finals

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The draw for the semi-finals was made on 3 April 2017. Making the draw were England assistant coach Paul Anderson and BBC rugby league correspondent Dave Woods.[6]

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
  Gloucestershire All Golds 28 – 37   North Wales Crusaders 30 April 2017, 15:00 Prince of Wales Stadium J Roberts 202
  Barrow Raiders 64 – 14   Oxford 30 April 2017, 15:00 Craven Park L Moore 962
Source:[7]

Final

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The final between Barrow Raiders and North Wales Crusaders was played on 27 May at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool as the curtain raiser to the 2017 Summer Bash.

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Attendance
  Barrow Raiders 38 – 32   North Wales Crusaders 27 May 2017, 12:00 Bloomfield Road S Race not given[a]
Source:[8]
  1. ^ Aggregate attendance for the four games played that day at Bloomfield Road was 11,557

References

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  1. ^ "The iPro Sport Cup". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  2. ^ "League 1 Cup first round draw". The Rugby Football League. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  3. ^ "League 1 cup first round draw made". The Rugby Football League. 20 December 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b "League 1 Cup: round one". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3058. 20 February 2017. p. 35.
  5. ^ "Kingstone Press League 1 Cup Quarter-finals". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3064. 3 April 2017. p. 39.
  6. ^ "League 1 Cup semi-final draw". Rugby Football League. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Kingstone Press League 1 Cup Semi-finals". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3068. 1 May 2017. p. 39.
  8. ^ "Kingstone Press League 1 Cup Final". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3072. 29 May 2017. p. 39.