The Challenge Cup is Rugby League’s most historic and prestigious competition and is the only knock-out tournament of its kind to include teams from all levels of the sport.
It is an eight month long competition that starts out featuring many grassroots clubs and climaxes with a spectacular final at Wembley Stadium, London which not only attracts fans from both competing finalists but the whole Rugby League community.
Since the first final in 1897, which saw Batley beat St Helens 10-3 in front of nearly 13,500 people in Leeds, the competition has grown from strength to strength.
We have had Welsh international players who have been winners since 1900.
Welsh clubs first appeared in the competition in 1908 and Merthyr Tydfil sprung a shock by knocking out established club Whitehaven.
From 1998, there has always been at least one Welsh side in this famous competition. Over the last few years, we have also had sides in the Wheelchair and Women’s competitions.
Welsh Men’s Results
1 Saturday 29th February 1908 – Round 1 – Beverley 3 Merthyr Tydfil 15
2 Saturday 14th March 1908 – Round 2 – Merthyr Tydfil 33 Whitehaven 5
3 Saturday 28th March 1908 – Round 3 – Leigh 8 Merthyr Tydfil 2
4 Saturday 12th December 1908 – Welsh Round 1 – Barry 9 Aberdare 5
5 Saturday 12th December 1908 – Welsh Round 1 – Mid Rhondda 8 Treherbert 7
6 Saturday 26th December 1908 – Welsh Round 2 – Mid Rhondda 2 Barry 0
7 Saturday 27th February 1909 – Round 1 – Hunslet 25 Mid Rhondda 5
8 Saturday 27th February 1909 – Round 1 – Beverley 7 Ebbw Vale 2
9 Saturday 26th February 1910 – Round 1 – Merthyr Tydfil 7 Ebbw Vale 12
10 Saturday 12th March 1910 – Round 2 – Huddersfield 3 Ebbw Vale 8
11 Saturday 19th March 1910 – Round 3 – Salford 8 Ebbw Vale 2
12 Saturday 31st December 1910 – Preliminary Round – Coventry 18 Merthyr Tydfil 3
13 Saturday 18th February 1911 – Round 1 – Batley 7 Ebbw Vale 2
14 Saturday 17th February 1912 – Round 1 – Halifax 10 Ebbw Vale 2
15 Saturday 12th February 1927 – Round 1 – Widnes 23 Pontypridd 2
16 Saturday 4th February 1950 – Round 1 First Leg – Cardiff 10 Salford 15
17 Saturday 11th February 1950 – Round 1 Second Leg – Salford 20 Cardiff 5
18 Saturday 10th February 1951 – Round 1 First Leg – Llanelli 9 Barrow 23
19 Saturday 17th February 1951 – Round 1 Second Leg – Barrow 39 Llanelli 5
20 Saturday 9th February 1952 – Round 1 First Leg – Cardiff 7 Dewsbury 7
21 Saturday 16th February 1952 – Round 1 Secong Leg – Dewsbury 16 Cardiff 0
22 Sunday 14th February 1982 – Round 1 – Cardiff City Blue Dragons 8 Widnes 19
23 Sunday 30th January 1983 – Preliminary Round – Wigan 14 Cardiff City Blue Dragons 4
24 Sunday 12th February 1984 – Round 1 – Cardiff City Blue Dragons 6 Hull 34
25 Sunday 27th January 1985 – Preliminary Round – Leeds 68 Bridgend Blue Dragons 6
26 Sunday 5th December 1993 – Round 1 – Milford 18 Cardiff Institute 8
27 Sunday 4th December 1994 – Round 1 – Dudley Hill 54 Cardiff Institute 4
28 Sunday 5th December 1998 – Round 1 – Barrow Island 24 UWIC 4
29 Sunday 17th December 1999 – Round 1 – Durham 6 Cardiff Cougars 36
30 Sunday 16th January 2000 – Round 2 – Cardiff Cougars 18 Rochdale Mayfield 10
31 Sunday 30th January 2000 – Round 3 – Keighley Cougars 90 Cardiff Cougars 0
32 Sunday 3rd December 2000 – Round 1 – Wales Students 15 Askam 18
33 Wednesday 5th December 2001 – Round 1 – Royal Air Force 40 UWIC 13
34 Sunday 1st December 2002 – Round 1 – Shaw Cross Sharks 56 Cardiff Demons 12
35 Sunday 30th November 2003 – Round 1 – Aberavon Fighting Irish 6 Ince Rose Bridge 28
36 Sunday 16th January 2005 – Preliminary Round – Cardiff Demons 12 Walney Central 28
37 Sunday 12th March 2006 – Round 3 – Celtic Crusaders 64 Lokomotiv Moscow 4
38 Sunday 1st April 2006 – Round 4 – Rochdale Hornets 32 Celtic Crusaders 8
39 Saturday 10th March 2007 – Round 3 – Celtic Crusaders 50 Eastmoor Dragons 10
40 Sunday 1st April 2007 – Round 4 – Rochdale Hornets 20 Celtic Crusaders 16
41 Sunday 9th March 2008 – Round 3 – Celtic Crusaders 58 Lokomotiv Moscow 10
42 Friday 18th April 2008 – Round 4 – Leeds Rhinos 38 Celtic Crusaders 16
43 Sunday 18th January 2009 – Preliminary Round – UWIC 18 Valley Cougars 20
44 Sunday 25th January 2009 – Round 1 – Royal Navy 38 Valley Cougars 28
45 Friday 3rd April 2009 – Round 4 – Hull Kingston Rovers 32 Celtic Crusaders 6
46 Sunday 24th January 2010 – Round 1 – Blackwood Bulldogs 42 Edge Hill 16
47 Sunday 14th February 2010 – Round 2 – Edinburgh Eagles 16 Blackwood Bulldogs 28
48 Sunday 7th March 2010 – Round 3 – Oldham Roughyeds 80 Blackwood Bulldogs 6
49 Sunday 18th April 2010 – Round 4 – York City Knights 8 Crusaders 58
50 Sunday 9th May 2010 – Round 5 – Crusaders 34 Catalans Dragons 35
51 Sunday 23rd January 2011 – Round 1 – Valley Cougars 24 The Army 30
52 Sunday 6th March 2011 – Round 3 – South Wales Scorpions 6 Dewsbury Rams 62
53 Sunday 7th May 2011 – Round 4 – Leeds Rhinos 30 Crusaders 20
54 Saturday 24th March 2012 – Round 3 – Wath Brow Hornets 22 South Wales Scorpions 24
55 Saturday 24th March 2012 – Round 3 – North Wales Crusaders 28 Toulouse Olympique 10
56 Saturday 14th April 2012 – Round 4 – Halifax 84 South Wales Scorpions 28
57 Sunday 15th April 2012 – Round 4 – Wigan Warriors 98 North Wales Crusaders 4
58 Saturday 6th April 2013 – Round 3 – West Hull 6 North Wales Crusaders 82
59 Saturday 6th April 2013 – Round 3 – South Wales Scorpions 22 Doncaster 52
60 Sunday 21st April 2013 – Round 4 – Hull FC 62 North Wales Crussders 6
61 Saturday 1st February – Round 1 – South West London Chargers 12 Torfaen Tigers 6
62 Sunday 16th March 2014 – Round 3 – North Wales Crusaders 58 Pilkington Recs 18
63 Sunday 16th March 2014 – Round 3 – South Wales Scorpions 12 Hemel Stags 38
64 Sunday 6th April 2014 – Round 4 – Featherstone Rovers 66 North Wales Crusaders 0
65 – Sunday 1st February 2015 – Round 1 – Valley Cougars 27 Leicester Storm 22
66 – Saturday 14th February 2015 – Round 2 Oulton Raiders 48 Valley Cougars 0
67 Sunday 8th March 2015 – Round 3 – South Wales Scorpions 4 York City Knights 20
68 Sunday 8th March 2015 – Round 3 – North Wales Crusaders 60 Widnes West Bank Bears 12
69 Sunday 22nd March 2015 – Round 4 – North Wales Crusaders 40 Doncaster 12
70 Sunday 19th April 2015 – Round 5 – North Wales Crusaders 12 Featherstone Rovers 38
71 Saturday 30th January 2016 – Round 1 – Egremont Rangers 62 Bridgend Blue Bulls 0
72 Saturday 27th February 2016 – Round 3 – Featherstone Lions 37 South Wales Scorpions 20
73 Sunday 28th February 2016 – Round 3 – North Wales Crusaders 36 Gloucestershire All Golds 40
74 Sunday 28th January 2017 – Round 1 – London Chargers 116 Bridgend Blue Bulls 0
75 Sunday 26th February 2017 – Round 3 – Gloucestershire All Golds 36 North Wales Crusaders 18
76 Sunday 26th February 2017 – Round 3 – South Wales Ironmen 4 Oxford 18
77 Sunday 25th February 2018 – Round 3 – North Wales Crusaders 28 Keighley Cougars 24
78 Sunday 25th February 2018 – Round 3 – Bradford Bulls 82 West Wales Raiders 6
79 Tuesday 20th March 2018 – Round 4 – Featherstone Rovers 66 North Wales Crusaders 6
80 Saturday 27th January 2019 – Round 1 – Distington 48 Torfaen Tigers 0
81 Saturday 9th March 2019 – Round 3 – Newcastle Thunder 48 West Wales Raiders 0
82 Sunday 10th March 2019 – Round 3 – London Skolars 18 North Wales Crusaders 31
83 Saturday 30th March 2019 – Round 4 – Thatto Heath Crusaders 16 North Wales Crusaders 14
84 Saturday 11th January 2020 – Round 1 – Barrow Island 84 Rhondda Outlaws 6
85 Sunday 12th January 2020 – Round 1 – British Police 66 Torfaen Tigers 0
86 Saturday 8th February 2020 – Round 3 – Rochdale Mayfield 6 North Wales Crusaders 64
87 Sunday 9th February 2020 – Round 3 – West Wales Raiders 8 Underbank Rangers 30
88 Sunday 23rd February 2020 – Round 4 – North Wales Crusaders 18 Hunslet 22
89 Sunday 21st March 2021 – Round 1 – West Wales Raiders 4 Widnes Vikings 58
90 Friday 14th January 2022 – Round 1 – Bridgend Blue Bulls 0 Royal Navy 60
91 Saturday 29th January 2022 – Round 2 – Leigh Miners Rangers 8 North Wales Crusaders 40
92 Sunday 30th January 2022 – Round 2 – West Wales Raiders 0 Swinton Lions 96
93 Sunday 13th February 2022 – Round 3 – Swinton Lions 14 North Wales Crusaders 20
94 Saturday 26th February 2022 – Round 4 – North Wales Crusaders 30 Hunslet 8
95 Saturday 12th March 2022 – Round 5 – North Wales Crusaders 30 Sheffield Eagles 50
96 Saturday 11th February 2023 – Round 1 – Hull Dockers 54 Rhondda Outlaws 10
97 Saturday 25th February 2023 – Round 2 – North Wales Crusaders 70 Royal Navy 0
98 Sunday 12th March 2023 – Round 3 – Thatto Heath Crusaders 10 North Wales Crusaders 18
99 Saturday 1st April 2023 – Round 4 – Keighley Cougars 36 North Wales Crusaders 14
100 Saturday 13th January 2024 – Round 1 – South Wales 4 Stanningley 40
101 Sunday 11th February – Round 3 – Bradford Bulls 48 North Wales Crusaders 4
Facts
Ebbw Vale were never drawn at home in the history of the Challenge Cup.
There was a gap of over 89 years between Welsh victories in the Challenge Cup between Huddersfield’s defeat by Ebbw Vale in 1910 and Cardiff Cougars’ win at Durham in 1999.
The only professional Welsh club to never take part in the Challenge Cup was South Wales in 1996. South Wales Scorpions, which had no links to the 1996 outfit, made their Challenge Cup debut in 2011, meaning that there were three Welsh sides in the competition for only the second time in 102 seasons.
In 2020, four Welsh clubs competed in the Challenge Cup for the first time in 111 seasons.
