The RFL

CARNEGIE CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

Wembley Stadium – Saturday, August 25th

CATALANS DRAGONS v ST. HELENS

We present a statistical guide to the Carnegie Challenge Cup Final which highlights the records and milestones created by this tremendous Rugby League occasion:

CATALANS DRAGONS have not appeared in the Carnegie Challenge Cup final before and are the first French club to do so.

ST. HELENS are appearing in their 20th Challenge Cup Final.

Saints have won the Cup 10 times: in 1956, 1961, 1966, 1972, 1976, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006. 

Their first seven wins were at Wembley.

They were losers in 1897, 1915, 1930, 1953, 1978, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2002. Six of the defeats were at Wembley.

CATALANS DRAGONS have reached the Carnegie Challenge Cup Final in the fastest time since being formed, having their first season only last year.

The previous fastest was achieved by Workington Town.

Their first season was 1945-46 and they won the Challenge Cup in 1952 with an 18-10 defeat of Featherstone Rovers at Wembley. 

BACK AT WEMBLEY

KEIRON CUNNINGHAM of St. Helens is the only player in either team to have won at the old Wembley, in 1996 and 1997 against Bradford Bulls each time.

Club colleague Lee Gilmour is the only other player to have played at the old stadium, being a loser with Wigan Warriors against Sheffield Eagles in 1998. 

LANCE TODD TROPHY

LEON PRYCE and PAUL WELLENS of St. Helens are in with a chance of becoming only the eighth player to win the Lance Todd Trophy plus the Harry Sunderland Trophy, which goes to the man of the match in the Super League Grand Final*.
 
Pryce won the Harry Sunderland trophy in 2005 when he was in the Bradford Bulls side that beat Leeds Rhinos.
 
Wellens won the Harry Sunderland trophy in 2006 when he was in the St Helens side that beat Hull FC.
 
*Before 1998 it was awarded for the top performance in the Championship Final and later Premiership Final.

Youngest and oldest winners
Peter Ramsden of Huddersfield is the youngest player to win the Lance Todd Trophy award, receiving it on his 19th birthday after scoring two tries in the 15-10 defeat of St. Helens in 1953.

Frank Whitcombe is the oldest winner, the Bradford Northern prop being 29 days short of his 35th birthday in 1948 when he became the first player of a losing side to receive the award after losing 8-3 to Wigan.

HEAD TO HEAD

PREVIOUS CHALLENGE CUP MEETINGS 

2006 (6)           St. Helens 56 v Catalans 10 

ROUTE TO THE FINAL

CATALANS DRAGONS
 
Fourth round                              
Featherstone Rovers (H)                              Won 70-12
Tries: Mogg (2), Gossard (2), Duport, A. Bentley, Ferriol, Fellous, Khattabi, Chan, Bosc, Casty
Goals: Bosc (11)
 
Fifth round
Whitehaven (A)                                              Won 24-14
Tries: Bosc, Duport, K. Bentley, Touxagas
Goals: Bosc (4)

Sixth round
Hull FC (A)                                                 Won 26-23
Tries: Mogg (2), Wilson, Greenshields
Goals: Bosc (4)
Drop goals: Bosc, Guisset

Semi-final
Wigan Warriors (At Warrington)                 Won 37-24
Tries: Duport (2), Mogg, McGuire, Wilson, Croker
Goals: Jones 6
Drop goal: Jones
 

ST. HELENS

Fourth round
Batley Bulldogs (H)                                       Won 78-14
Tries: Wellens (2), Meli (2), Gilmour (2), Fa’asavalu (2), Gardner, Gidley, Cunningham,
Graham, Clough, Wilkin
Goals: Tyrer (11)

Fifth round
Rochdale Hornets (H)                                   Won 70-10
Tries: Wilkin (3), Meli (2), Wellens (2), Gardner (2), Sculthorpe, Fa’asavalu, Graham
Goals: Sculthorpe (11)

Sixth round
Warrington Wolves (H)                                 Won 25-14
Tries: Gilmour (2), Talau, Gardner, Roby
Goals: Wellens (2)
Drop goal: Long

Semi-final
Bradford Bulls (At Huddersfield)                  Won 35-14
Tries: Talau, Meli, Clough, Gidley, Pryce, Bennett
Goals: Long (4), Wellens
Drop goal: Long 

PLAYER RECORDS

YOUNGEST FINALIST

FRANCIS CUMMINS of Leeds became the youngest player to appear in a Challenge Cup final when he played on the wing and scored a try in the defeat against Wigan in 1994 at 17 years 200 days.

The youngest winner was Andrew Farrell, a Wigan forward playing substitute at 17 years 11 months when they beat Widnes in 1993.

OLDEST FINALIST

THE oldest player to appear in a Challenge Cup final was Workington Town full back Gus Risman, who was 41 years 29 days when he led his side to victory over Featherstone Rovers in 1952.

DISMISSALS

RICHARD EYRES of Widnes was the last player to be sent off in a Challenge Cup final, against Wigan at Wembley in 1993.

The referee was Russell Smith.

The sin bin was introduced in January 1983 and was occupied in a Cup final for the first time that year when Hull’s Paul Rose was despatched by referee Robin Whitfield.

Later in the game Featherstone Rovers’ Terry Hudson was also sent to the sin bin.

The last player to be sent to the sin bin in a final was Shane Rigon of Bradford Bulls in the 2001 final against St. Helens at Twickenham, by Russell Smith.

CHALLENGE CUP FINAL CLUB RECORDS

Most finals and wins

17 wins in 28 finals by Wigan   

Wembley: 15 wins in 22 finals by Wigan

Highest score

Leeds Rhinos 52 v. London Broncos 16 at Wembley in 1999

(Also widest margin)

Most tries by one team

9 by Huddersfield 37 v St. Helens 3 at Oldham in 1915

Leeds Rhinos 52 v London Broncos 16 at Wembley in 1999                    

Most Points by losing team

Bradford Bulls 32 v. St. Helens 40 at Wembley in 1996.

Also record aggregate of points - 72.

Most successful fightback

St. Helens overcame the biggest deficit of 14 points to win a final when they beat Bradford Bulls 40-32 at Wembleyin 1996 after trailing 26-12  from the 53rd to 57th minute.

Biggest attendance

102,569  for  Halifax v. Warrington in 1954 replay at Odsal Stadium, Bradford.

Biggest attendance at Wembley: 99,801 for Hull v Wigan in 1985

Most Tries by a player in a Final

4 by Leroy Rivett for Leeds Rhinos in the 52-16 defeat of London Broncos at Wembley in 1999.

Players to have scored three tries in a Cup final are:

Bob Wilson (Broughton Rangers) v. Salford in 1902;

Stan Moorhouse (Huddersfield) v. Warrington at Leeds in 1913;

Tom Holliday (Oldham) v. Swinton at Wigan in 1927

Robbie Paul (Bradford Bulls) v St. Helens at Wembley in 1996.

Most Goals by a player in a Final

8 - jointly held by by Cyril Kellett in Featherstone Rovers’ 33-14 defeat of Bradford Northern at Wembley in 1973 and Iestyn Harris in Leeds Rhinos’ 52-16 defeat of London Broncos at Wembley in 1999

Most Points by a player in Final

20 - Jointly held by Neil Fox (2 tries, 7 goals) in Wakefield Trinity’s 38-5 defeat of Hull at Wembley in 1960 and Iestyn Harris (1 try, 8 goals) in Leeds Rhinos’ 52-16 defeat of London Broncos at Wembley  in 1999.

Most Cup Final Appearances

11 by Shaun Edwards (Wigan 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995; London Broncos 1999) – all at Wembley.

Most Cup Final Wins

9 by Shaun Edwards: As above except loser in 1984 and 1999

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