Championship round-up: London win big again on successful day for expansion sides

Aaron Bower 29 Mar 2026 5:11 PM

London Broncos head coach Jason Demetriou

London Broncos remain the Championship’s only side with a perfect record at the start of the new season after recording their seventh successive league triumph in 2026.

Jason Demetriou’s side were far too strong for Batley Bulldogs in the capital on Sunday afternoon, with the Broncos running out comfortable 40-12 winners against James Ford’s men. James Meadows and Liam Tindall both scored a brace in the success at Wimbledon.

Midlands Hurricanes are now one of the sides competing with London at the summit after they continued their excellent start to 2026 with another win against a heartlands side. Mark Dunning’s men defeated Keighley Cougars 20-12 at Cougar Park to inflict more misery on Keighley, who remain in the lower reaches of the competition.

Two more expansion teams also picked up impressive wins on Sunday, too. Newcastle Thunder are now fourth after they defeated Cumbrian side Workington Town 38-8 while Town’s local rivals, Whitehaven, were also beaten by a team from outside of the heartlands. They lost 52-20 against North Wales in Krisnan Inu’s first match in charge of the club.

Oldham picked up their fourth win of the campaign as they nilled Hunslet 44-0, with Jack Walker scoring twice for the Roughyeds.

Sheffield Eagles are sixth after emerging a tight affair with Dewsbury Rams, as Craig Lingard made it five wins from seven with an 18-16 success at the Rams in West Yorkshire.

Sunday’s other winners were Doncaster, who are now outright clear in second place after hammering Swinton Lions 74-6, and Rochdale Hornets – who defeated Goole Vikings 35-10.

Swinton are the only team left without a victory in the Championship in 2026, and are only kept off the bottom by Halifax Panthers, who incurred a significant points deduction after they returned to the field.