2006 Challenge Cup


The 2006 Challenge Cup was the Xth tournament played for rugby league's Challenge Cup. It features teams from across Europe including England, Scotland, Wales, France and Russia.
The competition started in January 2006 with the preliminary round where the Gloucestershire Warriors from the Rugby League Conference surprised an established Pennine League team in Illingworth. The final was scheduled to be played at the new Wembley Stadium but in March 2006 it became apparent that the stadium would not be ready for the final on 26 August so it was switched to Twickenham.
In the final St. Helens proved too strong for the Huddersfield Giants, winning by 42 points to 12. It was Huddersfield's first final since 1953, when they also faced St Helens.

Round 1

Sees the introduction of the major amateur clubs from the National Conference League and the teams from National League 3
Tie noHome teamScoreAway team
1Thornhill Trojans30-12Eastmoor Dragons
2West Bowling15–14Halton Simms Cross
3Bramley Buffaloes30-12Thatto Heath Crusaders
4Clayton24-32Warrington Wizards
5Royal Navy16-38Wigan St Patricks
6Eccles & Salford10-12Hunslet Warriors
7Leigh East86-10Askam
8Shaw Cross Sharks ARLFC32-22Oldham St Annes
9Skirlaugh12-8Normanton Knights
10East Leeds28-12Milford Marlins
11Ovenden32-28Bank Quay Bulls
12Bradford Dudley Hill42-12Gateshead Storm
13York Acorn29-22Ince Rose Bridge
14Royal Air Force13-42Siddal
15Wigan St Judes12-33Kells
16Walney Central18-0Ideal Isberg
17East Hull46-0Castleford Lock Lane
18Leigh Miners Rangers76-0Bransholme
19Gloucestershire Warriors20-36Blackbrook
20Seaton Rangers34-4Rochdale Mayfield
21Barrow Island32-18Stanley Rangers
22Crosfields20-28Oulton Raiders
23Saddleworth Rangers33-32Hull Dockers
24Widnes St Maries40-12St Albans Centurions
25The Army38-18West Hull

Round 2

Tie noHome teamScoreAway team
1Leigh Miners Rangers38-26Oulton Raiders
2Warrington Wizards20-22Bradford Dudley Hill
3East Hull10-8Wigan St Patricks
4Hunslet Warriors30-18Siddal
5East Leeds22-46Widnes St Maries
6York Acorn35-16Seaton Rangers
7Walney Central0-28Saddleworth Rangers
8Ovenden38-24Blackbrook
9Skirlaugh25-12Wath Brow Hornets
10Bramley Buffaloes22-28Shaw Cross Sharks ARLFC
11Barrow Island18-28Kells
12The Army14-20West Bowling
13Leigh East14-32Thornhill Trojans

Round 3

Round 3 sees the introduction of the National League 1 and 2 teams and teams from France and Russia. Amateurs Thornhill Trojans provided the first surprise result by beating national 2 team Workington Town. Late season snow caused a number of postponements on the Sunday.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway team
1Leigh Miners Rangers6-34Rochdale Hornets
2Whitehaven72-0Pia
3Thornhill Trojans16-12Workington Town
4London Skolars20-10Gateshead Thunder
5Batley Bulldogs24-10Limoux Grizzlies
6Blackpool Panthers10-18Toulouse Olympique
7Celtic Crusaders64-4Lokomotiv Moscow
8Dewsbury Rams68-0Bradford Dudley Hill
9Doncaster Lakers34-18Shaw Cross Sharks ARLFC
10East Hull2-20Hunslet Hawks
11Hull Kingston Rovers62-1York Acorn
12Hunslet Warriors0-38Widnes Vikings
13Leigh Centurions80-0Kazan Arrows
14Oldham R.L.F.C.34-10Saddleworth Rangers
15Skirlaugh14-36Featherstone Rovers
16Swinton Lions42-18Sheffield Eagles
17Kells6-26Halifax
18Ovenden10-50York City Knights
19West Bowling0-34Keighley Cougars
20Widnes St Maries14-30Barrow Raiders

Round 4

Round 4 sees the introduction of the Super League teams. Some matches are now televised live by the BBC. In this round the matches chosen for transmission were at Bradford and Wakefield.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway team
1St. Helens56-6Doncaster Lakers
2Bradford Bulls23-12Hull
3Catalans Dragons66-0Thornhill
4Rochdale Hornets32-8Celtic Crusaders
5Barrow Raiders40-8Oldham R.L.F.C.
6Batley Bulldogs16-28Whitehaven
7Featherstone Rovers44-10Keighley Cougars
8Halifax8-40Huddersfield Giants
9Harlequins48-6Toulouse Olympique
10Hunslet Hawks0-22Hull Kingston Rovers
11Leigh Centurions12-36Leeds Rhinos
12Salford City Reds32-4Dewsbury Rams
13Swinton Lions18-20York City Knights
14Wakefield Trinity Wildcats22-32Wigan Warriors
15Warrington Wolves56-0London Skolars
16Widnes Vikings14-4Castleford Tigers

Round 5

No new teams enter at this stage. In this round the matches chosen for transmission were at St Helens and Widnes.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway team
1Salford City Reds16-4Wigan Warriors
2Huddersfield Giants38-4York City Knights
3Widnes Vikings16-34Catalans Dragons
4Leeds Rhinos66-0Rochdale Hornets
5Hull Kingston Rovers44-12Featherstone Rovers
6Harlequins82-8Barrow Raiders
7Warrington Wolves46-2Whitehaven
8St. Helens42-18Bradford Bulls

Quarter-finals

In this round the matches chosen for transmission were at Hull KR and Leeds. Hull KR pulled off a major surprise when they beat Superleague team Warrington Wolves.

Semi-finals

Unlike earlier rounds, matches from now on will be played on neutral grounds. Huddersfield have the chance to win the Cup for the first time in 1953 when they beat this year's final opponents St Helens.

Final

The final was originally scheduled to be played at Wembley Stadium though because of the construction delay was alternatively held at Twickenham Stadium, London, attracting a large attendance.
Teams:
St Helens: Paul Wellens, Ade Gardner, Jamie Lyon, Willie Talau, Francis Meli; Leon Pryce, Sean Long, Paul Anderson, Keiron Cunningham, Jason Cayless, Jon Wilkin, Paul Sculthorpe, Jason Hooper
Subs: Lee Gilmour, James Roby, James Graham, Maurie Fa'asavalu Coach: Daniel Anderson
Huddersfield: Paul Reilly, Martin Aspinwall, Stephen Wild, Michael De Vere, Stuart Donlan, Chris Thorman, Robbie Paul, Paul Jackson, Brad Drew, Jim Gannon, Chris Nero, Andy Raleigh, Stuart Jones
Subs: Paul Smith, Eorl Crabtree, Steve Snitch, Wayne McDonald Coach: Jon Sharp

UK Broadcasting rights

The tournament was screened in the United Kingdom by the BBC.
RoundBBC live match
Round 4
Round 5
Quarter finals
Semi finalsSt. Helens v Hull Kingston Rovers
Leeds Rhinos v Huddersfield Giants
FinalSt. Helens v Huddersfield Giants