BULLS will enter the new 1895 Cup along with 12 other Championship clubs in the second-round stage to be held between Sunday, June 2 and Wednesday, June 5.

The inaugural competition provides a realistic opportunity for Bradford and their Championship rivals to earn a trip to Wembley Stadium in 2019, with the final being played as a curtain-raiser to the Challenge Cup final.

It will feature the 12 domestic clubs from the second tier, with Toronto and Toulouse not involved, and eight clubs from League One, including Keighley Cougars, with Coventry Bears, London Skolars and North Wales Crusaders having opted not to enter for logistical reasons.

The eight teams from the third tier will play a straight knockout in round one on May 5-6 before the Championship dozen join the four first-round winners in the last 16.

The winners of those eight ties will go into quarter-finals to be played during the week starting June 24, with the semi-finals and final then reverting to weekends.

The semis will be played the day after the Challenge Cup semi-finals, on Sunday, July 28, with the final at Wembley penned in for Saturday, August 24.

The Bears, Crusaders and Skolars confirmed their decision not to participate was due to midweek fixtures.

Mark Croston, the Skolars' director of rugby, said: “Given League One and Championship consist mostly of players who currently have full-time jobs, it is unrealistic to expect them to spend a full day on weekdays for away games, potentially returning in the early hours of Thursdays, thus requiring two days away from work.”

Alan Robinson, the Coventry owner and CEO, added: “The logistics are against us on this one. But we are hoping for another good Challenge Cup run like last year.

"We will also be looking to focus all our efforts on our league position and developing our young squad in what will be another year of substantial growth for the club in the region."