Teams start booking their tickets for a trip to the Northern Rail Cup final next weekend with the kick-off of the group stages.

The Eagles stormed through the early stages last season but were halted by Batley Bulldogs, the eventual winners, in the quarter finals.

“It would be nice to get a bit further than we did last year,” said coach Mark Aston speaking at the official launch of the competition.

“We want to go to level better this time but it is going to be tough, there are strong teams in the competition this year, Barrow, Widnes, Halifax, Featherstone, Leigh, but we looking forward to it.”

It is the seventh year that Northern Rail has sponsored the competition, which offers clubs in the two divisions below Super League a chance of Cup glory.

Northern rail director Richard Allen said: “We’re very proud to be sponsors of the Northern Rail Cup, a competition that continues to grow in statue every year, providing fans with thrilling action from start to finish.”

The 20 teams taking part are split into two groups of 10. Each team plays two home and two away games and the top four clubs from each group go into an unseeded draw for the quarter-finals.

The Eagles open with a trip to Gateshead (6 February) followed by Whitehaven (Don Valley 13 February), Leigh (away, 20 February) and Hunslet (Don Valley, 27 February).

For the first time Toulouse Olympique join the competition. Former Eagles player Ged Corcoran, who joined the French club this season, was at the launch in Halifax.

He said: “It’s all going well in France and I’m really enjoying it and looking for to the new season. Playing in the Rail Cup will give us a good start before we go in the league games.”

Our picture shows Gareth Moore of Batley Bulldogs holding the Northern Rail Cup surrounded by players from the other clubs taking part in the competition.

Jim Collins