Wikipedia

Wheelchair Challenge Cup

The Wheelchair Challenge Cup is a wheelchair rugby league competition organised by the Rugby Football League.

Wheelchair Challenge Cup
Current season or competition:
2024 Wheelchair Challenge Cup
The women's, men's, and wheelchair Challenge Cup trophies
SportWheelchair rugby league
Instituted2015[1]
Inaugural season2015
Country England
 France
 Scotland
 Wales
Winners Catalans Dragons (2023)
Most titles Halifax Panthers (4 titles)
Broadcast partnerBBC Red Button
(final only)
Related competitionRFL Wheelchair Super League

History edit

The Wheelchair Challenge Cup was established in 2015.[1] Originally the tournament was played using a knockout format. Halifax defeated Medway Dragons 120–40 in the opening round of the 2015 competition[2] and went on to win the final against Mersey Storm[3][4] before completing the double by winning the league championship.[5] Another double followed for Halifax in 2016 which included a 92–48 win over Leeds Rhinos in the cup final. Leeds had scored over 100 points their previous two rounds but faced a Halifax side who had not lost a match since June 2015.[6][7] Halifax repeated the double again in the 2017 season with a 110–48 cup final win over Leeds that included 15 tries by Jack Brown.[8] Other notable matches included a 160–0 win for Leeds over Argonauts in the opening round and the first all-Scottish match in the competition between Dundee Dragons and Glasgow Panthers in the quarter-finals.[9]

In 2018, a plate competition was introduced which was intended to reduce the number of one-sided fixtures being played. The two plate finalists qualified for the quarter-finals of the cup though the finals of both competitions were played on the same day.[10] Hereford Harriers defeated North Wales Crusaders for the plate and Halifax won the cup competition for the fourth time by defeating Dundee Dragons 62–18 in the final.[11] In 2019, the plate was replaced by Challenge Trophy played as a separate competition competition for teams outside of the Super League. Leeds Rhinos won 74–46 against Argonauts to win the cup for the first time.[12]

In the draw for the 2020 cup, which contained only six teams, two were given byes to the semi-final,[13] but following the cancellation of the 2020 competition a new format was introduced in 2021 with the teams playing in a round-robin tournament.[14] The top two teams qualified for the final which was a repeat of the 2019 final with Leeds retaining the title with a 60–26 victory.[15] The following year it was the top four from the round-robin stage that qualified for the semi-finals. French team, Catalans Dragons, made their début in the competition, but lost in the final to Leeds who claimed the cup for the third time.[16][17] The 2023 competition saw the top two teams advance to the final. Catalans and Leeds were both unbeaten in the qualifiers and drew 4–4 against each other to set up a rematch in the final which Catalans won 66–20 to add the Challenge Cup to their French Championship and Coupe de France titles.[18][19][20]

From 2024, the Challenge Cup reverted to a straight knockout format, like the running game, for the five Super League sides, Catalans Dragons, and the Challenge Trophy finalists.[21][22]

Results edit

2015 edit

Round OneQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
  Halifax 120
Medway Dragons 40
  Halifax W
  Halifax W
Leyland Warriors
Leyland Warriors 120
Gravesend Dynamite 22   Halifax W
Mersey Storm
Mersey Storm W
  Leeds Rhinos

Sources:[a][2][3][4][23]

2016 edit

Round 1 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
  Halifax 24
Gravesend Dynamite 102 Gravesend Dynamite 0
Hereford Harriers 32   Halifax 84
  Bradford Bulls 35
  Hull F.C. 52
  Bradford Bulls 72   Bradford Bulls 62
Dundee Dragons 34   Halifax 92
  Leeds Rhinos 48
  Leeds Rhinos 144
Glasgow Panthers 66 Glasgow Panthers 4
  Keighley Cougars 18   Leeds Rhinos 104
Medway Dragons 48
Medway Dragons 48
Folkestone Spitfires 124 Folkestone Spitfires 26
Dartford Vipers 4

Sources:[24][3][25][26]

2017 edit

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
 
 
 
 Leyland Warriors 28
 
 
 
   Halifax 58
 
   Halifax 72
 
 
 
 Dundee Dragons 12
 
 Dundee Dragons 58
 
 
 
 Glasgow Panthers 28
 
   Halifax 18
 
 
 
   Leeds Rhinos 62
 
   Leeds Rhinos 96
 
 
 
 Mersey Storm 40
 
   Leeds Rhinos 84
 
 
 
 Medway Dragons 66
 
 Medway Dragons 46
 
 
   North Wales Crusaders 36
 

Sources:[b][8][27][28]

2018 edit

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
 
 
 
 Dundee Dragons 46
 
 
 
 Medway Dragons 10
 
 Dundee Dragons 24
 
 
 
   St Helens 0
 
 Hereford Harriers 42
 
 
 
   St Helens 44
 
 Dundee Dragons 18
 
 
 
  Halifax 62
 
 Leyland Warriors 24
 
 
 
   Halifax 92
 
   Halifax 68
 
 
 
   Leeds Rhinos 42
 
 Argonauts
 
 
   Leeds Rhinos
 

Sources:[c][d][10][11][30][31][32][33]

2019 edit

 
Round OneSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
 30 June
 
 
 Argonauts 104
 
 21 July
 
   St Helens 4
 
 Argonauts 78
 
 30 June
 
   North Wales Crusaders 27
 
   North Wales Crusaders 64
 
 17 August
 
 Hereford Harriers 51
 
   Leeds Rhinos 74
 
 
 Argonauts 46
 
 
 30 June
 
 
   Leeds Rhinos 62
 
 
   Halifax 48
 
 
 
 

source:[34][35][36]

2021 edit

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts LEE ARG HAL LEY HUL NWC
1   Leeds Rhinos 5 5 0 0 124 24 +100 10 16–6 20–12 24–0 30–6 34–0
2 Argonauts 5 3 1 1 84 52 +32 7 6–6 22–6 24–12 26–12
3   Halifax Panthers 5 3 1 1 76 58 +18 7 8–6 24–12 26–14
4 Leyland Warriors 5 1 1 3 57 88 −31 3 16–16 29–18
5   Hull F.C. 5 1 1 3 58 104 −46 3 12–10
6   North Wales Crusaders 5 0 0 5 54 127 −73 0
Source: [14]
Final
   
1   Leeds Rhinos 60
2 Argonauts 26

2022 edit

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts LEE CAT WIG HAL LON HUL WAR
1   Leeds Rhinos 6 6 0 0 100 12 +88 12 8–0 8–6 24–6 20–0 18–0 22–0
2   Catalans Dragons 6 5 0 1 162 16 +146 10 20–4 42–0 30–4 30–0 40–0
3   Wigan Warriors 6 4 0 2 97 42 +55 8 11–2 10–6 36–6 30–0
4   Halifax Panthers 6 3 0 3 72 83 −11 6 10–6 36–0 18–0
5   London Roosters 6 2 0 4 46 80 −34 4 10–6 20–4
6   Hull F.C. 6 1 0 5 30 134 −104 2 18–4
7   Warrington Wolves 6 0 0 6 8 148 −140 0
Source: [16]
Semi-finals Final
      
1   Leeds Rhinos 36
4   Halifax Panthers 6
  Leeds Rhinos 48
  Catalans Dragons 34
2   Catalans Dragons 30
3   Wigan Warriors 6

2023 edit

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts CAT LEE HUL HAL LON WAR WIG
1   Catalans Dragons 6 5 1 0 11 4–4 16–0 1–0
2   Leeds Rhinos 6 5 1 0 11 12–4
3   Hull F.C. 6 4 0 2 8 8–4 8–4 12–2 16–0
4   Halifax Panthers 6 — — 3+ —
5   London Roosters 6 — — 3+ —
6   Warrington Wolves 6 — — 3+ —
7   Wigan Warriors 6 — — 3+ —
Source: [20][e]
Final
   
1   Catalans Dragons 66
2   Leeds Rhinos 20

2024 edit

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
 27 April
 
 
   Leeds Rhinos 86
 
 18 May
 
 Hereford Harriers 12
 
   Leeds Rhinos
 
 27 April
 
   Wigan Warriors
 
   Wigan Warriors 70
 
 1 June
 
   Halifax Panthers 32
 
 
 
 11 May
 
 
 
   Hull FC
 
 18 May
 
   Catalans Dragons
 
 
 
 4 May
 
 
 
   London Roosters
 
 
 Edinburgh Giants
 

Finals edit

List of finals
Year Winning team Score Losing team Venue Ref.
2015   Halifax ?–? Mersey Storm unknown [3][4]
2016   Halifax 92–48   Leeds Rhinos Huddersfield Sports Centre [24][37]
2017   Halifax 110–48   Leeds Rhinos [8]
2018   Halifax 62–18 Dundee Dragons Richard Dunn Sports Centre, Bradford [11]
2019   Leeds Rhinos 74–46 Argonauts English Institute of Sport, Sheffield [12]
2020 Tournament cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021   Leeds Rhinos 60–26 Argonauts English Institute of Sport, Sheffield [15]
2022   Leeds Rhinos 48–34   Catalans Dragons Allam Arena, Hull [17][38]
2023   Catalans Dragons 66–20   Leeds Rhinos English Institute of Sport, Sheffield [19]

Results by club edit

Team Winners Runners-up
  Halifax Panthers 4 0
  Leeds Rhinos 3 3
  Catalans Dragons 1 1
Argonauts 0 2
Dundee Dragons 0 1
Mersey Storm 0 1

Challenge Trophy edit

In 2018, the Rugby Football League introduced a Plate competition as part of the Challenge Cup.[10] It was planned to continue in 2019,[39] but was instead replaced by the inaugural Wheelchair Challenge Trophy.[40] The Challenge Trophy is played alongside the Challenge Cup, for teams outside the Super League. This was originally played as a separate competition,[41] but in 2024 it was announced that the two finalists would qualify to take part in the Challenge Cup.[22]

List of finals
Year Winning team Score Losing team Venue Ref.
2018 Hereford Harriers 63–32   North Wales Crusaders[c] Richard Dunn Sports Centre, Bradford [11]
2019 Gravesend Dynamite 75–48   Hull FC English Institute of Sport, Sheffield [34]
2020 Tournament cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Gravesend Dynamite 19–12   Warrington Wolves Warrington
2022 Gravesend Dynamite 82–40 Mersey Storm Allam Arena, Hull [42]
2023 Gravesend Dynamite 88–80   Sheffield Eagles English Institute of Sport, Sheffield [43]
2024 Hereford Harriers 17–16 Edinburgh Giants National Basketball Performance Centre, Manchester [44][45]

Results by club edit

Team Winners Runners-up
Gravesend Dynamite 4 0
Hereford Harriers 2 0
Edinburgh Giants 0 1
  Hull 0 1
Mersey Storm 0 1
  North Wales Crusaders 0 1
  Sheffield Eagles 0 1
  Warrington Wolves 0 1

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Bracket is based on known results and therefore incomplete
  2. ^ Bracket is shown from the quarter-finals stage as reports giving round one results appear incomplete, but known results included: Dundee Dragons 86–4 Keighley Cougars, Leeds Rhinos 160–0 Argonauts, and Glasgow received a bye[9]
  3. ^ a b Dundee and Hereford qualified for the cup by reaching the final of the plate competition and because Dundee reached the final of the cup their place in the plate final was taken by North Wales Crusaders[29]
  4. ^ Dundee were awarded a 24-0 win in the semi-final as St Helens forfeited the match
  5. ^ Catalans and Leeds were joint top and Hull finished third, other teams are listed alphabetically as results given in the report are incomplete

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Wheelchair Rugby League 2015". www.rugby-league.com. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Dragons out browned by Halifax". www.rugby-league.com. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Challenge Cup round up". www.rugby-league.com. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Season Review". Spider-Y. Archived from the original on 18 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Ten-try hero helps Halifax make winning start to 2016 Wheelchair League". www.rugby-league.com. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Leeds Rhinos and Halifax to contest Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final". www.rugby-league.com. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Club of the Week | Halifax WRL". www.rugby-league.com. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "Brown scores 15 tries as Halifax win Wheelchair Challenge Cup". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  9. ^ a b "All-Scottish tie tops bill in Wheelchair RL Challenge Cup quarter final draw". www.rugby-league.com. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  10. ^ a b c "Wheelchair RL boasts growth for 2018". www.rugby-league.com. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d "Halifax retain Wheelchair Challenge Cup title". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  12. ^ a b Hall, Ben (19 August 2019). "Rhinos Wheelchair Rugby League team win Challenge Cup". Leeds Rhinos Foundation. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Wheelchair Cup and Trophy draws take place". www.rugby-league.com. 1 March 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Leeds Rhinos and Argonauts to meet in Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final". www.rugby-league.com. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Halliwell's Five Tries Inspire Leeds To Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Triumph". The Sportsman. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Leeds Rhinos to face Catalans Dragons in 2022 Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final". www.rugby-league.com. 15 May 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  17. ^ a b Hall, Ben (June 26, 2022). "Rhinos slay Dragons to win third Wheelchair Challenge Cup in a row".
  18. ^ "Wheelchair Challenge Cup takes centre stage as Rugby League Inclusion Festival heads to Hull". www.rugby-league.com. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Catalans Dragons 66-20 Leeds Rhinos: French side clinch Wheelchair Challenge Cup final victory". Sky Sports.
  20. ^ a b "Leeds to face Catalans in 2023 Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final". www.rugby-league.com. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  21. ^ "Giants and Harriers join Dragons and Warriors in Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup". www.rugby-league.com. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Format and fixtures revealed for Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup". www.rugby-league.com. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  23. ^ "Leyland progress at the expense of the Dynamite". www.rugby-league.com. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Halifax win 2016 Wheelchair RL Challenge Cup". www.rugby-league.com. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Challenge Cup 2016". Spider-Y. Archived from the original on 7 December 2016.
  26. ^ "Leeds Rhinos and Halifax to contest Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final". www.rugby-league.com. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  27. ^ "Wheelchair RL Challenge Cup semi-finals confirmed". www.rugby-league.com. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  28. ^ "Leeds and Halifax reach Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final". www.rugby-league.com. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  29. ^ Wheelchair Rugby Plate Cup Final 2018. 20 August 2018. Event occurs at 7:19. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  30. ^ "Saints WRLC through to semi-final". St Helens R.F.C. 3 July 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  31. ^ Wheelchair Rugby Challenge Cup Final 2018. 20 August 2018. Event occurs at 2:18. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  32. ^ Halifax V Leyland - Wheelchair Rugby League - Challenge Cup & League Fixture (2018). 31 July 2018. Event occurs at 4:34. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  33. ^ Wheelchair Rugby League: Highlights & Interview - Challenge Cup Semi Final 2018. 17 August 2018. Event occurs at 2:49. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Wheelchair Challenge Cup triumph for Leeds Rhinos". www.rugby-league.com. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  35. ^ Crusaders v Argonauts semi final 21 July 2019. 21 July 2019. Event occurs at 1:25:09. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  36. ^ "Match Centre". www.rugby-league.com.
  37. ^ "Wheelchair Challenge Cup final set for Huddersfield". www.rugby-league.com. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  38. ^ "University to host Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final". www.hull.ac.uk. June 24, 2022.
  39. ^ "Give Wheelchair Rugby League a try at the 2019 Season Launch this weekend". www.rugby-league.com. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  40. ^ "Hull FC Wheelchair Rugby League". Hull F.C. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  41. ^ "Leeds to face Catalans in 2023 Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final". www.rugby-league.com. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  42. ^ "Rugby League Challenge Trophy success leaves Gravesend Dynamite on a roll as they prepare for 10th season of wheelchair rugby action". Kent Online. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  43. ^ Ltd, Go Media. "Wheelchair Trophy Final Report". Sheffield Eagles.
  44. ^ "What's on this week". Leeds Rhinos. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  45. ^ "Hereford Harriers crowned Wheelchair Challenge Trophy champions". RFL. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
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