WEMBLEY kings Wigan, drawn at home to Second Division Bramley in the Silk Cut Challenge Cup fourth round, will be concentrating first on what is surely just the formality of securing a seventh successive championship.

The all-conquering Riversiders, who narrowly beat St Helens in the Regal Trophy final at Huddersfield on Saturday, need only avoid defeat against Bradford Bulls tonight to officially take the league title again.

Even if they lose at home to Bradford, Wigan will still have two more matches, Sheffield Eagles away on Friday and Leeds at home next Sunday, to get the point they need to guarantee themselves of the No 1 spot.

But even if they are defeated in all three of their remaining games, their far superior scoring difference over nearest rivals Leeds should be enough to ensure that Wigan clinch the £75,000 prize money. They will be hoping to settle the issue against the Bulls at Central Park, with coach Graeme West saying: "It would be great to win the title at home in front of our own fans."

There will be nothing new in Wigan finishing top, but what is different this time is that they get to keep the historic championship trophy in this, the sport's centenary season.

West has named the same 15 who played in the Regal Trophy final, with Andrew Johnson and Andrew Craig drafted in as the two extra substitutes.

After this week, and before the arrival of the Super League in late March, interest will turn to the Challenge Cup - won by Wigan for the past eight years - particularly now the big guns have entered the competition at the round four stage. Wigan's cup opponents will evoke memories for Kiwi giant West who was in the side nearly knocked out of the competition by Bramley back in 1984.

West scored a try in a 10-10 draw and also touched down in the replay which Wigan won comfortably.

"I remember that game very well and thought we were going to go out of the cup in the first round at Bramley. They had played very well and we were sweating a bit, so you never can tell what can happen," he recalls. Meanwhile, amateur aces West Hull are lining up another Cup giant-killing act after being drawn at home to York.

They beat another second division club, Highfield, 35-20 in the third round which is a record score for an amateur team against professional opposition in the competition.

And Gary Lumb, joint coach of West Hull, says: "It's just what we wanted. We want to progress if we can and I would have settled for York at home."

St Helens-based Thatto Heath, the only other amateur outfit through to round four, were not so lucky after being drawn away to division one Rochdale Hornets. The tie of the round - and the one certain to be televised live by BBC Grandstand on Saturday, January 27 - is the Wheldon Road clash between Castleford and St Helens.

The only other all-championship encounter involves Oldham and Warrington at Watersheddings, while Leeds - beaten Wembley finalists for the last two seasons - go to second division Swinton.

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