1948–49 Challenge Cup

Rugby league competition 1948–49 Challenge Cup 5 rounds 32 1948–49 Bradford 16px Bradford Northern Winners Halifax 16px Halifax 1947–48 Challenge Cup 1947–48 1949–50 Challenge Cup 1949–50 The 1948–49 Challenge Cup was the 48th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup.http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/challenge-cup-1948-49/results.html Challenge Cup 1948/49 Rugby League Project The 29 clubs of the rugby league were joined in the competition by three junior clubs, one each from Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumberland; respectively these junior clubs were Normanton, Vine Tavern and Broughton Moor. First round The first round ties were two-legged and were to be played on consecutive weekends in February 1949. The draw was made on 17 January 1949.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000687/19490118/086/0003 Cup draw keeps Rugby League giants apart Yorkshire Post 18 January 1949 3 ((31,635)) subscription British Newspaper Archive The tie between Vine Tavern and York was drawn to have the leg at York played first but the clubs agreed to reverse the tie to enable Vine Tavern to play their home leg Knowsley Road, home of nearby St. Helens.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000324/19490120/071/0006 Cuptie reversed Hull Daily Mail 20 January 1949 6 ((19,709)) subscription British Newspaper Archive Featherstone's tie with Swinton should have had the first leg played at Featherstone. However Featherstone invoked their right under the competition rules as the first drawn club to decide where the first leg would be played and insisted that it was played at Swinton to avoid clashes with the home ties of neighbouring clubs, Normanton and Castleford, this was despite Swinton's opposition to the switch.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490203/081/0003 Swinton dislike Featherstone's "Fast One" Yorkshire Post 3 February 1949 3 ((31,649)) subscription British Newspaper Archive The first leg ties were played on Saturday 12 February. HomeScoreAwayRefereehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000273/19490119/106/0008 Referees for Rugby League Cup games Yorkshire Evening Post 19 January 1949 8 ((18,161)) subscription British Newspaper ArchiveBradford Northern3–4St. HelensG. S. PhillipsCastleford10–2BramleyC. F. AppletonDewsbury9–6BarrowN. T. RailtonSwinton15–2Featherstone RoversH. HollandHuddersfield4–5Rochdale HornetsT. E. ReesHull F.C.4–0HalifaxP. CowellHunslet22–0SalfordF. SmithLeeds16–2BatleyW. StockleyLiverpool Stanley3–32Wakefield TrinityT. W. HemmingsNormanton4–9Belle Vue RangersR. S. AbramOldham30–0Broughton MoorF. CottonWarrington17–7Hull Kingston RoversL. ThorpeWhitehaven0–0KeighleyH. SquiresWigan11–12LeighA. S. DobsonWorkington Town6–7WidnesA. HillVine Tavern4–11YorkD. Halliday Source:https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000687/19490214/056/0003 Rugby League Cup - First Round, First leg Yorkshire Post ((31,658)) 14 February 1949 3 subscription British Newspaper Archive The second leg ties were played on Saturday 19 February. HomeScoreAwayRefereeAggregate scoreSt. Helens0–5Bradford NorthernA. S. Dobson4–8Bramley2–10CastlefordP. Cowell4–20Barrow13–9DewsburyW. Hemmings19–18Featherstone Rovers13–10SwintonR. L. Thorpe15–25Rochdale Hornets0–11HuddersfieldF. Cottam5–15Halifax10–0Hull F.C.G. S. Phillips10–4Salford11–10HunsletA. Howgate11–32Batley4–7LeedsC. F. Appleton6–23Wakefield Trinity41–12Liverpool StanleyS. W. Stockley73–15Belle Vue Rangers12–0NormantonT. Armitage21–4Broughton Moor2–35OldhamL. J. Dalby2–65Hull Kingston Rovers5–28WarringtonN. T. Railton12–45Keighley19–9WhitehavenF. Smith19–9Leigh4–5WiganA. Hill16–16Widnes0–10Workington TownS. Adams7–16York17–3Vine TavernB. Lister28–7 Source:https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490221/083/0003 Rugby League Cup - First Round, Second Leg Yorkshire Post ((31,664)) 21 February 1949 3 subscription British Newspaper Archive The tie between Leigh and Wigan ended in controversy. In January the cup committee recommended that ties ending with the scores level should play 20 minutes of extra time (10 minutes each way) with a replay only being required if the scores remained tied after this period.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000273/19490113/156/0014 Saturday R.L. cup replays Yorkshire Evening Post 13 January 1949 14 ((18,156)) subscription British Newspaper Archive This recommendation as accepted by the Rugby League Council but was not, officially, made known to referees. Therefore, at the end of the second leg the referee in the Leigh v Wigan tie, Alfred Hill, ended the game after 80 minutes and did not play any extra time.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490221/083/0003 R.L. Cup replay decision causes a protest Yorkshire Post 21 February 1949 3 ((31,664)) subscription British Newspaper Archive The second leg was declared null and void by the Rugby League Council and a replay ordered for the following Saturday at a neutral venue, Swinton's Station Road with only the score from the first leg being taken forward into the replay.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000687/19490222/068/0003 Wigan—Leigh cup-tie: last night's surprise Yorkshire Post 3 22 February 1949 ((31,665)) subscription British Newspaper Archive The replay, refereed by W. Hemmings,https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000273/19490222/153/0012 Wigan-Leigh protest Yorkshire Evening Post 22 February 1949 12 ((18,190)) subscription British Newspaper Archive was won 10–4 by Wigan who therefore went forward to the second round 21–16 on aggregate.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490228/085/0003 Narrow escape for Wigan Yorkshire Post 28 February 1949 3 ((31,670)) subscription British Newspaper Archive Second round The second round draw was made on 21 February 1949 with ties to be played on Saturday 5 March.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000273/19490221/108/0008 Leeds at home to Hunslet in Rugby League Cup: Yorkshire clubs favoured in second round draw Yorkshire Evening Post 21 February 1949 8 ((18,189)) subscription British Newspaper Archive On the day the game between Wigan and Wakefield was postponed due to snowfall and was played the following Wednesday, 9 March, instead.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490307/059/0003 Will Trinity object to midweek cup-tie? Yorkshire Post ((31,676)) 7 March 1949 3 subscription British Newspaper Archive HomeScoreAwayRefereehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000273/19490222/153/0012 Referees for round two Yorkshire Evening Post 22 February 1949 12 ((18,190)) subscription British Newspaper ArchiveBarrow13–2KeighleyBelle Vue Rangers8–3WarringtonA. S. DobsonBradford Northern11–5CastlefordF. SmithHalifax5–0SwintonW. StockleyHuddersfield3–0Workington TownC. F. AppletonLeeds14–8HunsletP. CowllYork3–4OldhamG. S. PhillipsWigan37–2Wakefield TrinityS. Adams Source:https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490307/059/0003 Rugby League Cup - Second Round Yorkshire Post ((31,676)) 7 March 1949 3 subscription British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490310/084/0003 Trinity's heaviest-ever Cup defeat Yorkshire Post 10 March 1949 3 ((31,679)) subscription British Newspaper Archive Third round The draw for the third round was made on 7 March with ties to be played on Saturday 19 March.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000324/19490307/063/0004 Rugby League Cup Draw Hull Daily Mail 7 March 1949 4 ((19,748)) subscription British Newspaper Archive HomeScoreAwayRefereehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19490309/109/0008 Pudsey League referee's advance Yorkshire Evening Post 9 March 1949 8 ((18,203)) subscription British Newspaper ArchiveBarrow8–7WiganM. CoatesBradford Northern8–7Belle Vue RangersG. S. PhillipsLeeds9–20HuddersfieldC. F. AppletonOldham2–7HalifaxA. S. Dobson Source:https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000769/19490319/249/0019 Rugby League Cup (Third Round) Coventry Evening Telegraph 19 March 1949 19 ((18,011)) subscription British Newspaper Archive Semi-finals The semi-final draw was made on 21 March with neutral venues being announced immediately after the completion of the draw, the ties were played on 2 April.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19490321/078/0008 Huddersfield to meet Halifax in Cup semi-final Yorkshire Evening Post 21 March 1949 8 ((18,213)) subscription British Newspaper Archive HomeScoreAwayVenueRefereeBradford Northern10–0BarrowStation Road, SwintonA. S. DobsonHalifax11–10HuddersfieldOdsal Stadium, BradfordG. S. Phillips Source:https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490404/075/0003 Ernest Ward again Yorkshire Post 4 April 1949 3 ((31,700)) subscription British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490404/075/0003 Halifax never gave up Yorkshire Post 4 April 1949 3 ((31,700)) subscription British Newspaper Archive Final The Challenge Cup tournament's final was to be played by Bradford and Halifax at Wembley Stadium. Bradford won the game 12–0 in the final played in front of a world record rugby league crowd of 95,000. Tom Goodman's League Column The Sydney Morning Herald 9 4 May 1950 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c_kQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EZMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7324,443675 Trevor Foster and Eric Batten scored the tries for Bradford and Ernest Ward kicked three goals as well as winning the Lance Todd Trophy for man-of-the-match.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19490509/077/0003 Ernest Ward star of the Cup Final Yorkshire Post 9 May 1949 3 ((31,729)) subscription British Newspaper Archive This was Bradford's fourth Cup Final win in seven final appearances including one win and one loss during World War II.http://www.therfl.co.uk/challengecup/page.php?areaid=64 RFL All Time Records 7 August 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090403144104/http://www.therfl.co.uk/challengecup/page.php?areaid=64 3 April 2009 dead 7 May 1949 3:00 pm Bradford Northern 12 – 0 Halifax Tries Batten, FosterGoals E. Ward (3) Wembley, London 95,000 G. S. Phillips (Widnes) Ernest Ward Reporthttps://login.thetimes.com/?gotoUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.com%2Farchive%2Fpage%2F1949-05-09%2F6.html Bradford Northern win League Cup The Times 9 May 1949 6 ((51,376)) subscription Bradford NorthernPositionHalifax Billy Leake FB Denis Chalkley Eric Batten WG Arthur Daniels Jack Kitching CE Gareth Price (c) Ernest Ward (c) CE Paddy Reid Alan Edwards WG Enoka Macdonald Willie Davies SO George Kenny Donald Ward SH Stan Kielty Frank Whitcombe PR Jack Rothwell Vic Darlison HK Alvin Ackerley Ron Greaves PR Mike Condon Barry Tyler SR Jack Pansegrouw Trevor Foster SR Desmond Healy Ken Traill LF Frank Mawson Dai Rees Coach Arthur Atkinson References Category:Challenge Cup Challenge Cup