1977–78 Challenge Cup

1977–78 Challenge Cup
Duration5 Rounds
Number of teams32
Highest attendance96,000
Broadcast partnersBBC
Winners Leeds
Runners-up St. Helens
Lance Todd Trophy George Nicholls

The 1977–78 Challenge Cup was the 77th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup.

The final was contested by Leeds and St. Helens at Wembley.

Leeds beat St. Helens on Saturday 13 May 1978 in front of a crowd of 96,000.[1]

The winner of the Lance Todd Trophy was Saints forward, George Nicholls.[2]

This was Leeds’ eleventh Cup final win in fifteen appearances and their second in successive years.[3]

First round

The first round consisted of all 30 professional rugby league clubs, plus two amateur teams, Dewsbury Celtic and Pilkington Recs.

The match between Leeds and Halifax was televised by the BBC, and became infamous for a stray dog which invaded the pitch several times during the match.[4]

Date Team one Team two Score
11 Feb Leeds Halifax 25-5
24 Feb St Helens Huyton 36-8
24 Feb Salford Bramley 9-7
25 Feb York Warrington 10-16
26 Feb Blackpool Huddersfield 7-9
26 Feb Bradford Northern Barrow 21-13
26 Feb Dewsbury Celtic Wigan 5-15
26 Feb Dewsbury New Hunslet 13-22
26 Feb Hull FC Hull Kingston Rovers 9-7
26 Feb Leigh Featherstone Rovers 14-23
26 Feb Oldham Doncaster 21-7
26 Feb Pilkington Recs Castleford 22-23
26 Feb Swinton Batley 13-0
26 Feb Whitehaven Wakefield Trinity 13-21
26 Feb Widnes Rochdale Hornets 15-8
26 Feb Workington Town Keighley 16-5

Second round

Date Team one Team two Score
11 Mar Wigan Bradford Northern 10-22
12 Mar Featherstone Rovers New Hunslet 23-7
12 Mar Huddersfield Salford 13-3
12 Mar Hull FC Widnes 8-20
12 Mar Oldham St Helens 11-26
12 Mar Wakefield Trinity Leeds 6-28
12 Mar Warrington Swinton 29-4
12 Mar Workington Town Castleford 8-8
14 Mar - replay Castleford Workington Town 8-8
16 Mar - 2nd replay Workington Town Castleford 13-20

Quarter-finals

Date Team one Team two Score
19 Mar Featherstone Rovers Castleford 25-15
19 Mar Leeds Bradford Northern 16-8
19 Mar St Helens Huddersfield 31-5
19 Mar Warrington Widnes 6-0

Semi-finals

Date Team one Team two Score
01 Apr Leeds Featherstone Rovers 14-9
08 Apr St Helens Warrington 12-8

Final

13 May 1978
Leeds 14 – 12 St Helens
Try: Atkinson, Smith, Cookson
Goal: Oulton
Drop goal: Ward (2), Holmes 		Report
 Try: Liptrot, Francis
Goal: Pimblett (3)
Wembley, London
Attendance: 96,000
Referee: Billy Thompson (Huddersfield)[5]
Player of the Match: George Nicholls[6]
FB 1 Willie Oulton
RW 2 David Smith
RC 3 Neil Hague
LC 4 Les Dyl
LW 5 John Atkinson
SO 6 John Holmes
SH 7 John Sanderson downward-facing red arrow 60'
PR 8 Mick Harrison downward-facing red arrow 66'
HK 9 David Ward (c)
PR 10 Steve Pitchford
SR 11 Graham Eccles
SR 12 Phil Cookson
LF 13 Mick Crane
Substitutions:
IC 14 Kevin Dick upward-facing green arrow 60'
IC 15 Roy Dickinson upward-facing green arrow 66'
Coach:
Syd Hynes
FB 1 Geoff Pimblett (c)
RW 2 Les Jones
RC 3 Derek Noonan
LC 4 Peter Glynn
LW 5 Roy Mathias
SO 6 Bill Francis
SH 7 Ken Gwilliam
PR 8 Dave Chisnall
HK 9 Graham Liptrot
PR 10 Mel James
SR 11 George Nicholls
SR 12 Eddie Cunningham
LF 13 Harry Pinner
Substitutions:
IC 14 Alan Ashton
IC 15 Tony Karalius
Coach:
Eric Ashton

References

  1. ^ "RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  2. ^ Raymond Fletcher; David Howes (1995). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1995-1996. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 199. ISBN 0-7472-7817-2.
  3. ^ "RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  4. ^ "The Joy of Six: animals in sport". The Guardian. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  5. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (15 May 1978). "Leeds saved by courage". The Guardian. London. p. 15.
  6. ^ Henry, Reg (15 May 1978). "Leeds land knockout in Wembley classic". The Times. London. p. 8.