If Wigan Win Tonight..

[GeoffN]

I wonder what the betting industry will make of it? For instance, how much have Wakey's odds changed after that draw? If you knew the draw beforehand you could have put your house on a punt for Wakefield to make the next round.

This sport is run by clowns.

Excellent point, jj, I hadn't thought of that!

[Mike]

Total farce - almost certainly a fixed draw.

[pemps]

Apparently it was drawn just before 9.30am yesterday.

[Matthew]

I've mailed Sky's pet dancing monkey to ask his "opinion"

Considering how pro-RFL he is I doubt that I will get a reply!

Mailed to Phil Clarke
Hi Phil

I have an interesting question – and I suspect that you are aware of this practice; deciding the Challenge Cup Draw before it is officially “drawn”.

There have long been rumours that the Challenge Cup draw is “arranged” and I wanted to ask your opinion on this.

It said the RL website that "The draw for the Quarter Finals of the Carnegie Challenge Cup takes place tonight (Monday 12th May 2008).The draw will be broadcast live as part of the Sportsday programme which starts at 6.45pm on the BBC News Channel."

However…

Yesterday afternoon at around 2pm (Monday 12th May 2008) on the Wigan Warriors fan site – a poster posted this:

If wigan win then they will be facing leeds away!!!!

Got a text message saying the draw has already been done and the draw is as follows:

hull - bradford
hullkr - saints
leeds - wigan
wakey - oldham

if this is true it is an absolute joke - why say its live when clearly it aint.

Also a nice fixed away draw for wigan!!!!!

http://www.wigan-warriors.com/wigan/?s= ... 502#Unread

Strange that they got the draw exactly correct – they even got all but one of the venues right! If the draw is to be arranged to suit the RFL – then why claim it is live? Shouldn’t there be some sort of independent adjudicator to ensure that it is fair and impartial? Or are the RFL allowed to do what they like?

Best Regards,

Matthew

[Dawn O]

What the RFL have also failed to think about whilst fixing the draw is that the roses county cricket is being played all that weekend at headingley. They are panicking as they probably wont be able the show our game live

[ancientnloyal]

I have conducted a news story need to proof read and html it a bit.


Hope Mike doesnt delete it as it is, impartial and unbiased.

[Mike]

I worked out the odds.

To get an 8 team draw with all the correct ties in any order, but not caring about home/away is: 105/1.

(Working is as follows: first team correct 1/1, second team 7/1, third team 1/1, fourth team 5/1 fifth team 1/1, sixth team 3/1, seventh and eighth 1/1 = 7*5*3/1 = 105/1. Or 8 spots = 8!, 4 tie permutations = 4!, don't care about home and away in each tie = 2!*4 - gives 8!/(4!*2*4!) = 105.)

To get an 8 team draw with all the correct ties in any order with the correct home an away teams is 1680/1

(Working is 8!/4!).

That was some good prediction! and two rounds in a row! The RFL have been caught out and they have resorted to directly lying to us.

[simmy1]

hi
i have just spoken to a absolute pratt at ladbrookes whos say there is nothin wrong in the draw it was live even though i did explain we knew some 5 hours before what it was ..he says the person who predicted it must just have been lucky ...totally disintrested yet the tote sport in wigan were intrested and sais they will look into how we all knew at 2pm and the rfl state they also saw the same predictions

hope ladbrookes get hammerd over weekend and have to pay out loads

[Panchitta Marra]

The draw is rigged to suit attractive BBC viewing. It happens year in year out.