Challenge Cup (rugby)



         


The Challenge Cup is a knockout competition for British Rugby League clubs that has been held since 1896. In recent years the entry has been expanded to allow French and Russian teams to take part.

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History

The clubs that formed the Northern Union had long been playing in local knockout cup competitions under the auspices of the Rugby Football Union. However, the rugby union authorities refused to sanction a nationwide tournament, fearing that this would inevitably lead to professionalism. After the schism of 1895, the northern clubs were free to go-ahead, and they instigated the Northern Rugby Football Union Challenge Cup.

The first competition was held during the 1896-95 season (the second season of the new game), and 56 clubs entered to compete for the £60 trophy.

Initially, the final tie was held at one of the larger club grounds in the north, however, in 1927 the decision was made to relocate to the new Wembley Stadium in London.

In recent years the redevelopment of Wembley has led to the Cup Final utilising a variety of venues. The final is one of the biggest rugby league events of the year in Britain, along with the Super League Grand Final.

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List of finals

Note that in the years immediately following the Second World War the final was played over two legs, with the aggregate score being used.

YearWinnersScoreRunner-upVenueAttendance
1896-97Batley10 - 3St HelensLeeds13,492
1897-98 Batley7 - 0BradfordLeeds27,941
1898-99Oldham19 - 9HunsletManchester15,763
1899-00Swinton16 - 8SalfordManchester17,864
1900-01Batley6 - 0WarringtonLeeds29,563
1901-02Broughton Rangers25 - 0SalfordRochdale15,006
1902-03Halifax 7 - 0SalfordLeeds32,507
1903-04 Halifax8 - 3WarringtonSalford17,041
1904-05Warrington6 - 0Hull Kingston RoversLeeds19,638
1905-06Bradford5 - 0SalfordLeeds15,834
1906-07Warrington17 - 3OldhamBroughton18,500
1907-08Hunslet14 - 0HullHuddersfield 18,000
1908-09 Wakefield Trinity 17 - 0 Hull Leeds 23,587
1909-10 Leeds 7 - 7 Hull Huddersfield 11,608
(replay) Leeds 26 - 12 Hull Huddersfield 19,413
1910-11 Broughton Rangers 4 - 0 Wigan Salford 8,000
1911-12 Dewsbury 8 - 5 Oldham Leeds 15,271
1912-13 Huddersfield 9 - 5 Warrington Leeds 22,754
1913-14 Hull 6 - 0 Wakefield Trinity Halifax 19,000
1914-15 Huddersfield 37 - 3 St Helens Oldham 8,000
1919-20 Huddersfield 21 - 10 Wigan Leeds 14,000
1920-21 Leigh 13 - 0 Halifax Broughton 25,000
1921-22 Rochdale Hornets 10 - 9 Hull Leeds 32,596
1922-23 Leeds 28 - 3 Hull Wakefield 29,335
1923-24 Wigan 21 - 4 Oldham Rochdale 41,831
1924-25 Oldham 16 - 3 Hull Kingston Rovers Leeds 28,335
1925-26 Swinton 9 - 3 Oldham Rochdale 27,000
1926-27 Oldham 26 - 7 Swinton Wigan 33,448
1927-28 Swinton 5 - 3 Warrington Wigan 33,909
1928-29 Wigan 13 - 2 Dewsbury Wembley 41,500
1929-30 Widnes 10 - 3 St Helens Wembley 36,544
1930-31 Halifax 22 - 8 York Wembley 40,368
1931-32 Leeds 11 - 8 Swinton Wigan 29,000
1932-33 Huddersfield 21 - 17 Warrington Wembley 41,874
1933-34 Hunslet 11 - 5 Widnes Wembley 41,280
1934-35 Castleford 11 - 8 Huddersfield Wembley 39,000
1935-36 Leeds 18 - 2 Warrington Wembley 51,250
1936-37 Widnes 18 - 5 Keighley Wembley 47,699
1937-38 Salford 7 - 4 Barrow Wembley 51,243
1938-39 Halifax 20 - 3 Salford Wembley 55,453
1940-41 Leeds 19 - 2 Halifax Bradford 28,500
1941-42 Leeds 15 - 10 Halifax Bradford 15,250
1942-43 Dewsbury 16 - 9 Leeds Dewsbury 10,470
1942-43 Leeds 6 - 0 Dewsbury Leeds 16,000
1942-43 Dewsbury16 - 15Leeds(aggegate score)n/a
1943-44 Bradford Northern 0 - 3 Wigan Wigan 22,000
1943-44 Bradford Northern8 - 0 WiganBradford30,000
1943-44 Bradford Northern 8 - 3 Wigan (aggegate score)n/a
1944-45 Huddersfield 7 - 4 Bradford Northern Huddersfield 9,041
1944-45 Huddersfield 6 - 5 Bradford Northern Bradford 17,500
1944-45 Huddersfield 13 - 9 Bradford Northern (aggegate score)n/a
1945-46 Wakefield Trinity 13 - 12 Wigan Wembley 54,730
1946-46 Bradford Northern 8 - 4 Leeds Wembley 77,605
1947-46 Wigan 8 - 3 Bradford Northern Wembley 91,465
1948-49 Bradford Northern 12 - 0 Halifax Wembley 95,050
1949-50 Warrington 19 - 0 Widnes Wembley 94,249
1950-51 Wigan 10 - 0 Barrow Wembley 94,262
1951-52 Workington Town 18 - 10 Featherstone Rovers Wembley 72,093
1952-53 Huddersfield 15 - 10 St Helens Wembley 89,588
1953-54 Warrington 4 - 4 Halifax Wembley 81,841
(replay) Warrington 8 - 4 Halifax Bradford 102,569
1954-55 Barrow 21 - 12 Workington Town Wembley 66,513
1955-56 St Helens 13 - 2 Halifax Wembley 79,341
1956-57 Leeds 9 - 7 Barrow Wembley 76,318
1957-58 Wigan 13-9 Workington Town Wembley 66,109
1958-59 Wigan 30 - 13 Hull Wembley 79,811
1959-60 Wakefield Trinity 38 - 5 Hull Wembley 79,773
1960-61 St Helens 12 - 6 Wigan Wembley 94,672
1961-62 Wakefield Trinity 12 - 6 Huddersfield Wembley 81,263
1962-63 Wakefield Trinity 25 - 10 Wigan Wembley 84,492
1963-64 Widnes 13 - 5 Hull Kingston Rovers Wembley 84,488
1964-65 Wigan 20 - 16 Hunslet Wembley 89,016
1965-66 St Helens 21 - 2 Wigan Wembley 98,536
1966-67 Featherstone Rovers 17 - 12 Barrow Wembley 76,290
1967-68 Leeds 11 - 10 Wakefield Trinity Wembley 87,100
1968-69 Castleford 11 - 6 Salford Wembley 97,939
1969-70 Castleford 7 - 2 Wigan Wembley 95,255
1970-71 Leigh 24 - 7 Leeds Wembley 85,514
1971-72 St Helens 16 - 13 Leeds Wembley 89,495
1972-73 Featherstone Rovers 33 - 14 Bradford Northern Wembley 72,395
1973-74 Warrington 24 -9 Featherstone Rovers Wembley 77,400
1974-75 Widnes 14 - 7 Warrington Wembley 85,098
1975-76 St Helens 20 - 5 Widnes Wembley 89,982
1976-77 Leeds 16 - 7 Widnes Wembley 80,871
1977-78 Leeds 14 - 12 St Helens Wembley 96,000
1978-79 Widnes 12 - 3 Wakefield Trinity Wembley 94,218
1979-80 Hull Kingston Rovers 10 - 5 Hull Wembley 95,000
1980-81 Widnes 18 - 9 Hull Kingston Rovers Wembley 92,496
1981-82 Hull 14 - 14 Widnes Wembley 92,147
(replay) Hull 18 - 9 Widnes Wembley 84,969
1982-83 Featherstone Rovers 14 - 12 Hull Elland Road 41,171
1983-84 Widnes 19 - 6 Wigan Wembley 80,116
1984-85 Wigan 28 - 24 Hull Wembley 99,801
1985-86 Castleford 15 - 14 Hull Kingston Rovers Wembley 82,134
1986-87 Halifax 19 - 18 St Helens Wembley 91,267
1987-88 Wigan 32 - 12 Halifax Wembley 94,273
1988-89 Wigan 27 - 0 St Helens Wembley 78,000
1989-90 Wigan 36 - 14 Warrington Wembley 77,729
1990-91 Wigan 13 - 8 St Helens Wembley 75,532
1991-92 Wigan 28 - 12 Castleford Wembley 77,286
1992-93 Wigan 20 - 14 Widnes Wembley 77,684
1993-94 Wigan 26 - 16 Leeds Wembley 78,348
1994-95 Wigan 30 - 10 Leeds Wembley 78,550
1996 St Helens 40 - 32 Bradford Bulls Wembley 75,994
1997 St Helens 32 - 22 Bradford Bulls Wembley 78,022
1998 Sheffield Eagles 17 - 8 Wigan Warriors Wembley 60,669
1999 Leeds Rhinos 52- 16 London Broncos Wembley 73,242
2000 Bradford Bulls 24 - 18 Leeds Rhinos Murrayfield 67,247
2001 St Helens 13 - 6 Bradford Bulls Twickenham 68,250
2002 Wigan Warrriors 21 - 12 St Helens Murrayfield 62,140
2003 Bradford Bulls 22 - 20 Leeds Rhinos Millennium Stadium 71,212
2004 St Helens 32 - 16 Wigan Warrriors Millennium Stadium 73,734




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