Rugby league county cups

Historically, English rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition (affectionately known as t’owd tin pot) for several years prior to the schism of 1895. However, the Lancashire authorities had refused to sanction a similar tournament, fearing it would lead to professionalism.

After the split, the replacement for the Yorkshire Cup was not immediately introduced; however, new Yorkshire and Lancashire Cups were introduced in the 1905–06 season.

The county cups were played on the same basis as the Challenge Cup, with an open draw and straight knock-out matches leading to a final.

The county cups were abandoned in 1993 due to the more successful clubs complaining about overloaded fixtures, but the Yorkshire Cup was revived in 2019.

Yorkshire Cup
Yorkshire Cup
SportRugby league
Instituted1905
Ceased1992
CountryEngland
Last winners Wakefield Trinity (10th title)
Most titlesLeeds (17 titles)

The Yorkshire Cup is a rugby league county cup competition for teams in Yorkshire. Starting in 1905 the competition ran, with the exception of 1915 to 1918, until the 1992–93 season, when it folded due to fixture congestion. In 2019, the competition was revived along with a new trophy.[1]

The competition was open to all senior member clubs of the Rugby Football League in Yorkshire and was normally played in the opening months of the season. On two occasions, 1918–19 and 1940–41 the competition was held towards the end of the season due to the two world wars. During the Second World War the Lancashire Cup was not played for between 1941 and 1945 and several Lancashire clubs were admitted into the Yorkshire Cup competition instead. The cup finals in 1942, 1943 and 1944 were played over two legs with the winner being determined by aggregate score over the two matches. From 2019, the competition did not include Super League clubs.

Between 1966 and 1993 a trophy, called the White Rose Trophy, was awarded to the man of the match in each final. The judging was conducted by members of the press.[2]

Finals
Main article: RFL Yorkshire Cup

Wins by club

Includes the historic pre-2019 competition wins only.

Club Wins Winning years
1 Leeds171921, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1958, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1988
2 Huddersfield121909, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1919,[lower-alpha 1] 1919, 1926, 1931, 1938, 1950, 1952, 1957
3 Bradford12

1941,[lower-alpha 2] 1941, 1943, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1965, 1978, 1987, 1989.

4 Wakefield Trinity101910, 1924, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1992
5 Hull Kingston Rovers71920, 1929, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1974, 1985
6= Castleford51977, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1991
Hull F.C.51923, 1969, 1982, 1983, 1984
Halifax51908, 1944, 1954, 1955, 1963
9= Hunslet31905, 1907, 1962
Dewsbury31925, 1927, 1942
York31922, 1933, 1936
12 Featherstone Rovers21940, 1959
13= Batley11912
Bradford FC11906
  1. The 1918–1919 competition was played in April – May 1919
  2. The 1940–1941 competition was played in March – April 1941

Lancashire Cup
Lancashire Cup
SportRugby league
Instituted1905
Ceased1992
CountryEngland
Last winners Wigan (21st title)
Most titlesWigan (21 titles)

The Lancashire Cup was founded in 1905 and was an annual cup competition for teams in and around Lancashire. There was no competition between 1941 and 1945 because of World War II. The last edition of the cup was in 1992–93 after that it folded due to there being too many fixtures in the calendar.

Finals

The Lancashire Cup was not played during the Second World War (1940–45). During this period the Yorkshire Cup finals of 1942, 1943, and 1944 were played over two legs, with aggregate score being used.

Season Winner Score Runner-up Venue
1905–06 Wigan 0–0 Leigh Wheater's Field, Broughton
Replay 8–0
1906–07 Broughton Rangers 15–6 Warrington Central Park, Wigan
1907–08 Oldham 16–9 Broughton Rangers Athletic Grounds, Rochdale
1908–09 Wigan 10–9 Oldham Wheater's Field, Broughton
1909–10 Wigan 22–5 Leigh
1910–11 Oldham 4–3 Swinton
1911–12 Rochdale Hornets 12–5 Oldham
1912–13 Wigan 21–5 Rochdale Hornets The Willows, Salford
1913–14 Oldham 5–0 Wigan Wheater's Field, Broughton
1914–15 Rochdale Hornets 3–2 Wigan The Willows, Salford
1918–19 Rochdale Hornets 22–0 Oldham
1919–20 Oldham 7–0 Rochdale Hornets
1920–21 Broughton Rangers 6–3 Leigh
1921–22 Warrington 7–5 Oldham The Cliff, Broughton
1922–23 Wigan 20–2 Leigh The Willows, Salford
1923–24 St Helens Recs 17–0 Swinton
1924–25 Oldham 10–0 St Helens Recs The Willows, Salford
1925–26 Swinton 15–11 Wigan The Cliff, Broughton
1926–27 St. Helens 10–2 St Helens Recs Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
1927–28 Swinton 5–2 Wigan Watersheddings, Oldham
1928–29 Wigan 5–4 Widnes Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
1929–30 Warrington 15–2 Salford Central Park, Wigan
1930–31 St Helens Recs 18–3 Wigan Station Road, Swinton
1931–32 Salford 10–8 Swinton The Cliff, Broughton
1932–33 Warrington 10–9 St. Helens Central Park, Wigan
1933–34 Oldham 12–0 St Helens Recs Station Road, Swinton
1934–35 Salford 21–12 Wigan
1935–36 Salford 15–7 Wigan Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
1936–37 Salford 5–2 Wigan
1937–38 Warrington 8–4 Barrow Central Park, Wigan
1938–39 Wigan 10–7 Salford Station Road, Swinton
1939–40 Swinton 4–5 Widnes Naughton Park, Widnes
16–111,
(21–15 on aggregate)		 Station Road, Swinton
No competition between 1940–41 and 1944–45
1945–46 Widnes 7–3 Wigan Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
1946–47 Wigan 9–3 Belle Vue Rangers Station Road, Swinton
1947–48 Wigan 10–7 Belle Vue Rangers Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
1948–49 Wigan 14–8 Warrington Station Road, Swinton
1949–50 Wigan 20–7 Leigh Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
1950–51 Wigan 28–5 Warrington Station Road, Swinton
1951–52 Wigan 14–6 Leigh
1952–53 Leigh 22–5 St. Helens
1953–54 St. Helens 16–8 Wigan
1954–55 Barrow 12–2 Oldham
1955–56 Leigh 26–9 Widnes Central Park, Wigan
1956–57 Oldham 10–3 St. Helens
1957–58 Oldham 13–8 Wigan Station Road, Swinton
1958–59 Oldham 12–2 St. Helens
1959–60 Warrington 5–4 St. Helens Central Park, Wigan
1960–61 St. Helens 15–9 Swinton
1961–62 St. Helens 25–9 Swinton
1962–63 St. Helens 7–4 Swinton
1963–64 St. Helens 15–4 Leigh Station Road, Swinton
1964–65 St. Helens 12–4 Swinton Central Park, Wigan
1965–66 Warrington 16–5 Rochdale Hornets Knowsley Road, St. Helens
1966–67 Wigan 16–13 Oldham Station Road, Swinton
1967–68 St. Helens 2–2 Warrington Central Park, Wigan
Replay 13–10 Station Road, Swinton
1968–69 St. Helens 30–2 Oldham Central Park, Wigan
1969–70 Swinton 11–2 Leigh
1970–71 Leigh 7–4 St. Helens Station Road, Swinton
1971–72 Wigan 15–8 Widnes Knowsley Road, St Helens
1972–73 Salford 25–11 Swinton Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
1973–74 Wigan 19–9 Salford
1974–75 Widnes 6–2 Salford Central Park, Wigan
1975–76 Widnes 16–7 Salford
1976–77 Widnes 16–11 Workington Town
1977–78 Workington Town 16–13 Wigan Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
1978–79 Widnes 15–13 Workington Town Central Park, Wigan
1979–80 Widnes 11–0 Workington Town The Willows, Salford
1980–81 Warrington 26–10 Wigan Knowsley Road, St Helens
1981–82 Leigh 8–3 Widnes Central Park, Wigan
1982–83 Warrington 16–0 St. Helens
1983–84 Barrow 12–8 Widnes
1984–85 St. Helens 26–18 Wigan
1985–86 Wigan 34–8 Warrington Knowsley Road, St Helens
1986–87 Wigan 27–6 Oldham
1987–88 Wigan 28–16 Warrington
1988–89 Wigan 22–17 Salford
1989–90 Warrington 24–16 Oldham
1990–91 Widnes 24–18 Salford Central Park, Wigan
1991–92 St. Helens 24–14 Rochdale Hornets Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
1992–93 Wigan 5–4 St. Helens Knowsley Road, St Helens
  1. After extra time; full-time score was 9–8 meaning scores were tied 13–13 on aggregate

Wins by club
Club Wins Winning years
1
Wigan
211905, 1908, 1909, 1912, 1922, 1928, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992
2
St. Helens
111926, 1953, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1984, 1991
3
Warrington
91921, 1929, 1932, 1937, 1959, 1965, 1980, 1982, 1989
4
Oldham
91907, 1910, 1913, 1919ii, 1924, 1933, 1956, 1957, 1958
5
Widnes
71945, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1990
6
Salford
51931, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1972
7
Leigh
41952, 1955, 1970, 1981
8
Swinton
41925, 1927, 1940, 1969
9
Rochdale Hornets
31911, 1914, 1919i
10
Barrow
21954, 1983
11
St Helens Recs
21923, 1930
12
Broughton
21906, 1920
13
Workington
11977

TV coverage

The BBC regularly televised both the Lancashire and Yorkshire Cup finals from 1958 to 1959 to 1984–85 usually as part of the Grandstand programme but after 1984–85 the BBC dropped the county cups from its coverage due to cutbacks. But from 1987 to 1988 to 1990–91 both the Lancashire and Yorkshire Cup finals were televised by ITV in their respective regions. In 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 Yorkshire Television through their Scrumdown programme with live coverage. The Lancashire Cup final was televised by Granada in 1989–90 and 1990–91 under the Rugby League Live name again with live coverage. The 1991–92 Lancashire and Yorkshire Cup finals were both shown by British Aerospace Sportscast but the last finals in 1992–93 were not shown on TV. The 1985–86 and 1986–87 Yorkshire Cup finals and the Lancashire Cup finals in 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89 also had no TV coverage. The 1965–66 and 1968–69 Lancashire Cup finals were played on a Friday night and likely to have been recorded by the BBC and shown on Grandstand the following day.

See also

References
  1. Love Rugby League
  2. Fletcher, Raymond & Howes, David. Rothman's Rugby League Yearbook 1994–95. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-7472-7851-1.
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