1978–79 Challenge Cup

The 1978–79 Challenge Cup was the 78th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. Known as the State Express Challenge Cup due to sponsorship by State Express 555, the final was contested by Widnes and Wakefield Trinity at Wembley. Widnes won the match 12–3.

1978–79 State Express Challenge Cup
Duration5 Rounds
Number of teams32
Highest attendance94,218
Broadcast partnersBBC
Winners Widnes
Runners-up Wakefield Trinity
Lance Todd Trophy David Topliss

Widnes beat Wakefield Trinity 12-3 at Wembley in front of a crowd of 94,218.[1]

This was Widnes' fifth cup final win in seven Final appearances. To date, this was Wakefield Trinity’s last appearance in a Challenge Cup final.

Despite being on the losing side, the Wakefield Trinity Stand-off, David Topliss, won the Lance Todd Trophy.

First round

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Date Team one Team two Score
10 Feb Hull FC Leeds 17-6
11 Feb Barrow York 10-7
11 Feb Hull Kingston Rovers New Hunslet 23-15
11 Feb Leigh Miners W. Leigh 10-23
11 Feb St Helens Doncaster 34-9
11 Feb Salford Bramley 6-6
11 Feb Warrington Castleford 9-15
11 Feb Widnes Workington Town 12-5
20 Feb Swinton Bradford Northern 2-8
20 Feb Wigan Halifax 9-6
21 Feb Huyton Keighley 2-14
25 Feb Dewsbury Blackpool 13-6
25 Feb Rochdale Hornets Batley 15-0
25 Feb Wakefield Trinity Featherstone Rovers 10-7
27 Feb - replay Bramley Salford 2-2
28 Feb Oldham Ace Amateurs 23-5
01 Mar Huddersfield Whitehaven 11-9
01 Mar - 2nd replay Salford Bramley 5-7

Second round

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Date Team one Team two Score
24 Feb Widnes Wigan 21-5
25 Feb Barrow Leigh 25-2
25 Feb Keighley Hull FC 12-33
04 Mar Bradford Northern Hull Kingston Rovers 14-7
04 Mar Castleford Dewsbury 31-15
04 Mar Huddersfield Bramley 31-12
04 Mar Oldham Wakefield Trinity 7-19
04 Mar Rochdale Hornets St Helens 10-11

Quarter-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
10 Mar Castleford St Helens 6-10
11 Mar Bradford Northern Hull FC 8-8
11 Mar Huddersfield Widnes 0-14
11 Mar Wakefield Trinity Barrow 8-5
14 Mar - replay Hull FC Bradford Northern 4-8

Semi-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
31 Mar Widnes Bradford Northern 14-11
07 Apr Wakefield Trinity St Helens 9-7

Final

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5 May 1979
Widnes 12 – 3 Wakefield Trinity
Try: Wright, Hughes
Goal: Burke (2)
Drop goal: Elwell, Eckersley
Report
Try: Fletcher
Wembley, London
Attendance: 94,218
Referee: J. E. Jackson (Pudsey)[2]
Player of the Match: David Topliss
FB 1 David Eckersley
RW 2 Stuart Wright
RC 3 Mal Aspey
LC 4 Mick George   58'
LW 5 Mick Burke
SO 6 Eric Hughes
SH 7 Reg Bowden (c)
PR 8 Jim Mills
HK 9 Keith Elwell
PR 10 Glyn Shaw
SR 11 Mick Adams
SR 12 Alan Dearden   74'
LF 13 Doug Laughton
Substitutions:
IC 14 Mike O'Neill   74'
IC 15 David Hull   58'
Player-coach:
Doug Laughton
FB 1 Les Sheard
RW 2 Andy Fletcher
RC 3 Keith Smith
LC 4 Steve Diamond
LW 5 Brian Juliff
SO 6 David Topliss (c)
SH 7 Mike Lampkowski
PR 8 John Burke
HK 9 Alan McCurrie
PR 10 Trevor Skerrett
SR 11 Bill Ashurst
SR 12 Keith Rayne
LF 13 Graham Idle
Substitutions:
IC 14 Trevor Midgley
IC 15 Kevin Rayne
Coach:
Bill Kirkbride

References

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  1. ^ "RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  2. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (7 May 1979). "Wright restores the winger's role". The Guardian. p. 15. ProQuest 186156722.
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