1982–83 Challenge Cup

The 1982–83 Challenge Cup was the 82nd staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. Known as the State Express Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, the final was contested by Featherstone Rovers and Hull F.C. at Wembley. Featherstone won the match 14–12, and is considered one of the biggest upsets in Challenge Cup final history.[1][2]

1982–83 State Express Challenge Cup
Duration6 Rounds
Number of teams33
Winners Featherstone Rovers
Runners-up Hull
Lance Todd Trophy David Hobbs

Preliminary round
Tie no Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 Wigan 14–4 Cardiff City 5,816

First round
Tie no Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 Widnes 6–12 Leeds 5,861
2 Barrow 18–6 Whitehaven 4,898
3 Blackpool Borough 11–19 Hull 3,388
4 Huddersfield 5–13 Halifax 2,656
5 Hunslet 12–11 Hull Kingston Rovers 4,441
6 Salford 12–5 Leigh 6,519
7 Swinton 21–13 Doncaster 1,027
8 Wakefield Trinity 27–5 Keighley 3,446
9 Warrington 41–3 Bramley 3,241
10 St. Helens 52–0 Carlisle 2,875
11 Bradford Northern 23–5 York 2,685
12 Featherstone Rovers 21–5 Batley 1,374
13 Oldham 5–8 Workington Town 2,987
14 Rochdale Hornets 4–24 Fulham 701
15 Wigan 7–17 Castleford 10,737
16 Dewsbury 7–13 Huyton 563

Second round
Tie no Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 Hull 32–15 Wakefield Trinity 11,197
2 Barrow 9–14 Castleford 6,779
3 Fulham 4–11 Bradford Northern 4,976
4 Hunslet 17–8 Halifax 4,130
5 Leeds 13–23 St. Helens 12,483
6 Salford 11–17 Featherstone Rovers 4,169
7 Warrington 34–2 Huyton 2,825
8 Workington Town 14–9 Swinton 1,751

Third round
Tie no Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 St. Helens 10–11 Featherstone Rovers 6,125
2 Hunslet 8–13 Castleford 14,004
3 Warrington 4–10 Hull 10,280
4 Workington Town 0–17 Bradford Northern 3,894

Semi final
26 March 1983
Bradford Northern 6 – 11 Featherstone Rovers
Try: Hanley, Van Bellen Report
 Try: Gilbert, Hudson, Marsden
Goal: Quinn
Headingley, Leeds
Attendance: 10,784
Referee: John Holdsworth (Leeds)[3]
2 April 1983
Castleford 7 – 14 Hull
Try: England
Goal: Hyde		 Report
 Try: Day, Evans, O'Hara, Leuluai
Goal: Crooks
Elland Road, Leeds
Attendance: 26,031
Referee: Billy Thompson (Huddersfield)[4]

Final

Hull F.C. returned to Wembley as defending champions, having won the Challenge Cup for the second time in their history in the previous year. Hull went into the match as strong favourites, but were surprisingly defeated by their opponents Featherstone Rovers.

7 May 1983
Featherstone Rovers 14 – 12 Hull
Try: Hobbs (2)
Goal: Quinn (4)		 Report
 Try: Crooks, Leuluai
Goal: Crooks (3)
Wembley, London
Attendance: 84,969
Referee: Robin Whitfield (Widnes)[5]
Player of the Match: David Hobbs
FB1Nigel Barker
RW2John Marsden
RC3Steve Quinn
LC4John Gilbert
LW5Ken Kellett
SO6Alan Banks
SH7Terry Hudson (c)
PR8Michael Gibbins
HK9Raymond Handscombe
PR10Steven Hankins
SR11David Hobbs
SR12Tim Slatter
LF13Peter Smith
Substitutions:
IC14Paul Lyman
IC15Gary Siddall
Coach:
Allan Agar
FB1Gary Kemble
RW2Dane O'Hara
RC3Steve Evans
LC4James Leuluai
LW5Paul Prendiville
SO6David Topliss (c)
SH7Kevin Harkin
PR8Trevor Skerrett
HK9John Keith Bridges
PR10Richard 'Charlie' Stone
SR11Paul Rose
SR12Lee Crooks
LF13Steve Norton
Substitutions:
IC14Terry Day
IC15Mick Crane
Coach:
Arthur Bunting

References
  1. Newsum, Matt. "Featherstone's famous final: When Rovers shocked Hull at Wembley". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  2. Viller, Sam (4 September 2013). "Blast from the Past: Featherstone win the 1983 Challenge Cup". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  3. Fitzpatrick, Paul (28 March 1983). "Northern waste Hanley heroics". The Guardian. London. p. 19. ProQuest 186367076.
  4. Fitzpatrick, Paul (4 April 1983). "Day's final fling". The Guardian. London. p. 15. ProQuest 186413646.
  5. Fitzpatrick, Paul (9 May 1983). "Hobbs is too hot as Hull freeze". The Guardian. London. p. 27. ProQuest 186359587.
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