THE first round of the newly-sponsored Rugby League Challenge Cup should hold no fears for Heworth next month.

They have been drawn at home to Hull Isberg - the side they beat 30-18 at Elm Park Way in National Conference Two last Saturday.

Division one side York Acorn have been handed a much tougher task - a trip to premier division Siddal.

The draw was made after the Rugby Football League announced a record six-year sponsorship deal for the Challenge Cup with Leeds Metropolitan University.

The competition will be known as the Carnegie Challenge Cup and culminate in the final at Wembley on August 25.

Leeds Metropolitan University have taken over from Powergen, whose four-year sponsorship came to an end last year, and are thought to be putting between £6million and £10million into the game up to 2012.

The length of the deal is a record for rugby league's high-profile knock-out competition.

As part of the new partnership with the university, the RFL's panel of full-time referees will be based at Carnegie and it is expected that Great Britain will make use of its facilities.

"The partnership is both ground-breaking and unique in sport," said RFL executive chairman Richard Lewis.

"The RFL believes it is highly appropriate as there is a great deal of synergy between our organisational values and the values of the sport of rugby league."

The university already sponsor the Carnegie World Club Challenge and have close links with Leeds Rhinos and the Headingley Carnegie Stadium.

The sponsorship deal was concluded in time for today's first-round draw involving amateur teams, in which Leeds Metropolitan University, the student champions, were handed a tough away tie against Wigan St Patricks.

All three service teams, the Army, Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, received home ties while Thornhill Trojans, who played Super League club Catalans Dragons in the fourth round last season, were drawn at home to South London Storm.

Semi-professional clubs from the National League like York City Knights enter the competition at the third-round stage, with Super League outfits joining a round later.