2001 Silk Cut Challenge Cup
Duration8 Rounds
Highest attendance68,250
Broadcast partnersBBC Sport
Winners St. Helens
Runners-up Bradford Bulls
Biggest home win76 – 0 Keighley vs Rochdale Mayfield (Round 3)
Biggest away win10 – 106 Leeds at Swinton (Round 4)
Lance Todd Trophy Sean Long

The 2001 Challenge Cup (officially known as the 2001 Silk Cut Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby league football tournament which began its preliminary stages in December 2000 and ended with the final on 28 April 2001. Bradford Bulls were the reigning champions, following their 24–18 victory over Leeds Rhinos in the 2000 Challenge Cup at Murrayfield Stadium.

Round 1

Ties were scheduled to be played over the weekend of 2–3 December 2000, although two matches did not take place until 9 and 16 December.

Home Score Away Match information
Date and time Venue Referee Attendance
Cottingham Tigers 2–17 Hensingham ARLFC 2 December 2000
Dewsbury Moor ARLFC 17–18 Eastmoor ARLFC 2 December 2000
East Leeds 14–12 Elland ARLFC 2 December 2000
Ecces ARLFC 25–16 RL Conference Lionhearts 2 December 2000
Hull Dockers 28–4 West Bowling ARLFC 2 December 2000
Leigh East 10–15 Shaw Cross RLFC 2 December 2000
London Skolars 18–10 Crosfields ARLFC 2 December 2000
Milford Marlins 16–26 Wigan St Judes 2 December 2000
Millom RLFC 34–8 Normanton Knights 2 December 2000
Newcastle University 36–22 Hunslet Warriors 2 December 2000
Rochdale Mayfield 32–16 Castleford Panthers 2 December 2000
Royal Air Force 12–32 Heworth 2 December 2000
Royal Navy 18–6 Waterhead 2 December 2000
Hillsborough Hawks 10–18 Featherstone Lions 2 December 2000
Siddal 28–8 Dewsbury Celtic 2 December 2000
Thatto Heath ALRFC 24–22 Keighley Albion & Bingley 2 December 2000
Widnes St Maries 38–18 Blackbrook 2 December 2000
York Acorn 0–18 Halton Simms Cross 2 December 2000
Clayton ARLFC 10–20 Leeds Metropolitan University 3 December 2000
New Earswick 36–20 Bangor Vikings 3 December 2000
Welsh Students 15–18 Askam ARLFC 3 December 2000
Wigan Rose Bridge 72–0 Glasgow Bulls 3 December 2000
Queensbury 24–0 Charleston Knights 9 December 2000
Wath Brow Hornets 41–6 The Army 16 December 2000
Source:[1]

Round 2

Ties were due to be played over the weekend of 16–17 December 2000 but the round was not completed until 13 January 2001.

Home Score Away Match information
Date and time Venue Referee Attendance
Askam ARLFC 12–2 Millom 16 December 2000
East Leeds 28–10 London Skolars 16 December 2000
Halton Simms Cross 8–0 Shaw Cross 16 December 2000
New Earswick 11–7 Thatto Heath 16 December 2000
Newcastle University 8–51 Leigh Miners Rangers 16 December 2000
Rochdale Mayfield 15–10 Dudley Hill 16 December 2000
Royal Navy 12–13A Eccles ALRFC 16 December 2000
Saddleworth ALRFC 0–30 Oldham St Annes 16 December 2000
Siddal 22–12 Hull Dockers 16 December 2000
Skirlaugh 16–38 Oulton Raiders 16 December 2000
Thornhill Trojans 18–10 Leeds Metropolitan University 16 December 2000
Walney Central 4–13 Queensbury ALRFC 16 December 2000
Wigan Rose Bridge 26–8 Redhill ARLFC 16 December 2000
Wigan St Judes 15–9 Widnes St Maries 16 December 2000
Wigan St Patricks 4–3 Ideal Isberg 16 December 2000
Eastmoor Dragons 0–34 West Hull 6 January 2001
Heworth 12–10 Featherstone Lions 6 January 2001
Wath Brow Hornets 8–11 Castleford Lock Lane 6 January 2001
Woolston Rovers 32–11 Hensingham ALRFC 13 January 2001
Source:[2]
Notes

A.^ After extra time

Round 3

Ties were played over the weekend of 26–28 January 2001.

Home Score Away Match information
Date and time Venue Referee Attendance
Halton Simms Cross 10–42 Villeneuve Leopards 26 January 2001 Auto Quest Stadium Karl Kirkpatrick 809
Dewsbury Rams 48–10 Leigh Miners Rangers 27 January 2001 The Rams Stadium Nick Oddy 1,260
Wigan Rose Bridge 0–52 York Wasps 27 January 2001 Spotland Stadium Julian King 731
Barrow Border Raiders 40–16 Askam ARLFC 28 January 2001 Craven Park Grant Maxwell 2,092
Batley Bulldogs 70–0 Heworth 28 January 2001 Mount Pleasant Ian Chatterton 573
Chorley Lynx 8–22 Woolston Rovers 28 January 2001 Victory Park Robert Connolly 559
Doncaster Dragons 44–14 Siddal 28 January 2001 Belle Vue Peter Taberner 1,341
Featherstone Rovers 56–0 Eccles ALRFC 28 January 2001 Lionheart Stadium Paul Lee 1,045
Gateshead Thunder 34–20 Wigan St Judes 28 January 2001 Gateshead International Stadium Steve Ganson 501
Hull Kingston Rovers 44–0 Toulouse Spacers 28 January 2001 Craven Park Steve Nicholson 1,649
Hunslet Hawks 38–6 Thornhill Trojans 28 January 2001 South Leeds Stadium Ben Thaler 629
Keighley Cougars 76–0 Rochdale Mayfield 28 January 2001 Cougar Park Ron Laughton 1,764
Leigh Centurions 28–5 West Hull 28 January 2001 Hilton Park Russell Smith 1,547
Oldham R.L.F.C. 64–0 Queensbury ARLFC 28 January 2001 Boundary Park Colin Morris 1,559
Sheffield Eagles 42–0 East Leeds 28 January 2001 Don Valley Stadium Steve Addy 778
Swinton Lions 44–12 New Earswick 28 January 2001 Gigg Lane John Farrell 478
Whitehaven 34–16 Oldham St Annes 28 January 2001 Recreation Ground Darren Gillespie 616
Widnes Vikings 70–2 Wigan St Patricks 28 January 2001 Auto Quest Stadium Richard Silverwood 2,465
Workington Town 38–0 Castleford Lock Lane 28 January 2001 Derwent Park Mike Dawber 867
York Wasps 24–12 Oulton Raiders 28 January 2001 Huntington Stadium Paul Carr 914
Source:[3]

Round 4

Ties were played between 10–14 February 2001

Home Score Away Match information
Date and time Venue Referee Attendance
St. Helens 22–8 Wigan Warriors 10 February 2001 Knowsley Road Stuart Cummings 13,593
Barrow Border Raiders 4–56 Halifax Blue Sox 11 February 2001 Craven Park Richard Silverwood 2,160
Bradford Bulls 54–10 Widnes Vikings 11 February 2001 Odsal Stadium Ian Smith 7,760
Dewsbury Rams 4–18 Castleford Tigers 11 February 2001 Ram Stadium Karl Kirkpatrick 3,384
Doncaster Dragons 14–12 Sheffield Eagles 11 February 2001 Belle Vue John Farrell 1,344
Huddersfield Giants 28–6 Featherstone Rovers 11 February 2001 Alfred McAlpine Stadium Steve Ganson 2,527
Keighley Cougars 20–34 Hull F.C. 11 February 2001 Cougar Park Robert Connolly 4,401
Leigh Centurions 16–12 Salford City Reds 11 February 2001 Hilton Park Russell Smith 6,408
London Broncos 44–6 Batley Bulldogs 11 February 2001 Broadfield Stadium Steve Addy 1,204
Swinton Lions 10–106 Leeds Rhinos 11 February 2001 Gigg Lane Colin Morris 3,239
Warrington Wolves 48–6 Woolston Rovers 11 February 2001 Wilderspool Stadium Steve Nicholson 6,008
Workington Town 6–56 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 11 February 2001 Derwent Park Paul Lee 1,710
York Wasps 8–22 Villeneuve Leopards 11 February 2001 Huntington Stadium Julian King 471
Oldham R.L.F.C. 17–6 Hull Kingston Rovers 13 February 2001 Boundary Park 2,008
Rochdale Hornets 38–4 Hunslet Hawks 13 February 2001 Spotland Stadium Nick Oddy 605
Gateshead Thunder 0–56 Whitehaven 14 February 2001 Gateshead International Stadium
Source:[4]

Round 5

The fifth round fixtures were played over the weekend of 24–25 February 2001.

Home Score Away Match information
Date and time Venue Referee Attendance
Castleford Tigers 12–42 Leeds Rhinos 24 February 2001 Wheldon Road Robert Connolly 11,418
Halifax Blue Sox 18–68 Bradford Bulls 25 February 2001 The Shay Russell Smith 6,129
Huddersfield Giants 38–24 Doncaster Dragons 25 February 2001 Alfred McAlpine Stadium Ian Smith 2,176
Hull F.C. 30–20 London Broncos 25 February 2001 The Boulevard Stuart Cummings 6,701
Oldham R.L.F.C. 6–26 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 25 February 2001 Boundary Park Nick Oddy 3,071
Rochdale Hornets 19–26 Villeneuve Leopards 25 February 2001 Spotland Stadium Peter Taberner 817
Warrington Wolves 20–10 Leigh Centurions 25 February 2001 Wilderspool Stadium Steve Ganson 8,844
Whitehaven 22–34 St. Helens 25 February 2001 Recreation Ground Karl Kirkpatrick 4,750
Source:[5]

Quarter-finals

The quarter finals was played over the weekend of 9–11 March 2001

Home Score Away Match information
Date and time Venue Referee Attendance
Hull F.C. 18–20 Leeds Rhinos 10 March 2001 The Boulevard Russell Smith 10,123
St. Helens 54–16 Huddersfield Giants 9 March 2001 Knowsley Road Karl Kirkpatrick 7,899
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 0–38 Bradford Bulls 11 March 2001 Belle Vue Stuart Cummings 5,280
Warrington Wolves 32–0 Villeneuve Leopards 11 March 2001 Wilderspool Stadium Robert Connolly 4,805
Source:[6]

Semi-finals

The ties were played on 31 March and 1 April 2001.

[7]

31 March 2001
St. Helens 27–22 Leeds Rhinos
JJB Stadium
Attendance: 16,416
Referee: Russell Smith
1 April 2001
Warrington Wolves 22–39 Bradford Bulls
Alfred McAlpine Stadium
Attendance: 13,856
Referee: Stuart Cummings

Final

The 100th Challenge Cup final was played on 28 April 2001 and was the first to be played at Twickenham Stadium. Hear'Say performed before the match. St Helen's stand off Sean Long was the winner of the Lance Todd Trophy.[8]

[9]

28 April 2001
Bradford Bulls 6–13 St. Helens
Goal: H Paul (2)
Drop goal: H Paul 		Try: Martyn, Cunningham
Goal: Long (2)
Drop goal: Martyn
Twickenham Stadium
Attendance: 68,250
Referee: Russell Smith

Teams

St Helens: Paul Wellens, Sean Hoppe, Kevin Iro, Paul Newlove, Anthony Sullivan; Tommy Martyn, Sean Long, David Fairleigh, Keiron Cunningham, Sonny Nickle, Chris Joynt (c), Peter Shiels, Paul Sculthorpe
Subs: Steve Hall, Anthony Stewart, Vila Matautia, Tim Jonkers Coach: Ian Millward

Bradford: Michael Withers, Tevita Vaikona, Scott Naylor, Shane Rigon, Leon Pryce, Henry Paul, Robbie Paul (c), Joe Vagana, James Lowes, Brian McDermott, Jamie Peacock, Daniel Gartner, Mike Forshaw
Subs: Paul Deacon, Paul Anderson, Lee Gilmour, Stuart Fielden Coach: Brian Noble

UK Broadcasting rights

The tournament was screened in the United Kingdom by the BBC.

Round BBC live match
Round 4
Round 5
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals St. Helens v Leeds Rhinos
Warrington Wolves v Bradford Bulls
Final Bradford Bulls v St. Helens

References

  1. ^ "2001 Challenge Cup – Round 1". Rugby League World. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  2. ^ "2001 Challenge Cup – Round 2". Rugby League World. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  3. ^ "2001 Challenge Cup – Round 3". Rugby League World. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  4. ^ "2001 Challenge Cup – Round 4". Rugby League World. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  5. ^ "2001 Challenge Cup – Round 5". Rugby League World. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  6. ^ "2001 Challenge Cup – Quarter-finals". Rugby League World. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  7. ^ "2001 Challenge Cup – Semi-finals". Rugby League World. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Lance Todd Trophy winners". Rugby Football League. Archived from the original on 10 August 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  9. ^ "2001 Challenge Cup – Final". Rugby League World. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2014.

External links

St Helens RLFC squad – 2001 Challenge Cup Final winners
St Helens R.F.C.
Challenge Cup
2001 in rugby league
Categories