Egremont Rangers have again declined to enter the Rugby League Challenge Cup which will take centre stage tonight.

The Gillfoot club decided not to enter the competition last year and have followed up by agreeing to miss out again.

The first round draw is being made tonight with the games due to be played on the weekend of January 26/27 when west Cumbria will be represented by Distington, Kells and Wath Brow.

Egremont also opted out of the BARLA National Cup last season despite having won the competition in 2015 and this season’s competition is due to start early in the New Year, with Cumbrian interest.

As far as the Egremont club is concerned, they will concentrate on the National Conference Premier Division which starts early in March.

Their training starts in January and they will have two warm-up matches against Askam and then Hensingham for the Jackie Davidson Memorial Trophy.

Meanwhile, Bradford Bulls head coach John Kear, who led Sheffield Eagles to one of the biggest shocks in Challenge Cup history when they defeated Wigan Warriors in 1998, will be involved in tonight’s draw.

Kear will be joined by Leeds Rhinos Women’s captain Lois Forsell to conduct the 2019 Challenge Cup first round draw.

Forsell led her side to Women’s Challenge Cup final victory against Castleford Tigers earlier this year - one of two trophies Leeds Rhinos Women lifted in their first year.

The draw, which will be held before the second international between England Academy and Australia Schoolboys at the Emerald Headingley Stadium, will be streamed live on the BBC Sport website at 5.30pm.

A total of 52 sides from across the community game will go into the draw to participate in one of the country’s oldest sporting tournaments.

Clubs and numbers to look out for include Distington (10), Kells (20), Millom (27) and Wath Brow (46).

Cockermouth Titans have a home tie in the preliminary round of the BARLA National Cup on January 12 when they host East Leeds.

The winners will travel to Upton in the first round on February 2.

Kells A will represent their club and have a home game in the first round against Bentley while Aspatria Hornets have a really big home draw in landing West Hull.

Glasson Rangers start at home to the winners of the preliminary round tie between Clayton and Drighlington.

The west Cumbrians' luck ran out when Ellenborough Rangers came out of the hat as they face a trip to Blackbrook.