Championship and League 1 round-up: York enjoy statement win as Crusaders close in on title

Ben Olawumi 25 Aug 2025 11:44 AM

In both the Championship and League 1, the races at the top of the divisions are heating up: and we were treated to another pulsating weekend of action.

Here’s our round-up…

Championship

There’s no other place for us to start than York‘s biggest statement yet, going over to France and beating Toulouse in their own backyard (well, sort of!) on Friday night.

Mark Applegarth’s side dug in to earn a 16-8 win at the Stade Arnauné which moved them four competition points clear at the top of the table. The Knights have now won 17 in a row across all competitions, with 15 of those in the league, and look red-hot favourites to go all the way.

Bradford took advantage of Toulouse’s defeat to move back second on points difference having thumped Sheffield.

Elsewhere, Featherstone – in fifth – are now six points adrift of fourth-placed Oldham having been beaten on home soil by Widnes on Saturday evening. The Vikings themselves are now just one point off the top six, too.

Oldham ensured their play-off spot was clinched with a narrow 20-18 win at London on Sunday which sees the Broncos confirmed as finishing in the bottom four.

If the Super 8s-style games do happen at the end of the season, they’ll be involved and go up against League 1’s top four, though of course relegation likely won’t be an issue given the plans to merge the two divisions next term anyway. A bonkers sport.

Rounding things off, Batley are now just two points behind London in 11th having convincingly beaten basement boys Hunslet this weekend. After that win, the Bulldogs announced the appointment of James Ford as their new head coach from 2026.

This weekend’s Championship results:

Toulouse Olympique 8-16 York
Sheffield Eagles 8-70 Bradford Bulls
Featherstone Rovers 14-30 Widnes Vikings
Doncaster 22-32 Barrow Raiders
Hunslet 6-40 Batley Bulldogs
London Broncos 18-20 Oldham

League 1

There are now just two rounds left in League 1, and table-toppers North Wales Crusaders moved to within two competition points of securing the title as they beat Goole on Sunday.

The Welsh side can only be denied glory now by third-placed Workington, but the Cumbrians would have to win both of their remaining games and hope Crusaders lose both of theirs.

Second-placed Swinton played their final game on Sunday, beating local rivals Rochdale on home soil in a game which was dedicated to Super League legend Micky Higham following his cancer diagnosis. Higham’s son, Harry, represents Swinton.

After that defeat, the Hornets had appeared likely to drop out of the top four, but are still in there and have their destiny in their own hands thanks to Midlands’ slip-up at home against lowly Keighley.

The Hurricanes were beaten 24-22 by the Cougars in a shock result, so still sit one competition point behind Rochdale.

This weekend’s League 1 results: