2023 Challenge Cup final

The 2023 Challenge Cup Final was the 122nd final of rugby league's Challenge Cup knock-out competition. The 2023 final marked its return to Wembley Stadium after its one year hiatus at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2022. The final was contested by Leigh Leopards and Hull KR.[3][4][5]

2023 (2023) Challenge Cup Final  ()
Hull KR Leigh Leopards
16 17
12GP1 Total
HKR 880 16
LEI 1061 17
Date12 August 2023, 15:00
StadiumWembley Stadium
LocationLondon, United Kingdom
Lance Todd TrophyLachlan Lam
God Save The King
and Abide with Me		Lizzie Jones[1]
RefereeChris Kendall
Attendance58,213[2]
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators

Leigh won the cup, their first title since 1971, by 17 points to 16, after the game went to golden point extra time, as Matt Parcell scored a last minute try for Hull KR, (after a lengthy review from the video referee), to level the scores at 16-all after 80 minutes.

Just over one minute into extra time, Leigh were penalised for a ball steal, and Hull KR were awarded a penalty. Brad Schneider kicked to touch, but the ball did not go out of play, and Leigh got the ball back. Gareth O'Brien then tried his luck with a drop goal, but his effort was wide. The next attempt came to Schneider, but he also missed with his effort. Then, on 83 minutes, Lachlan Lam kicked the winning drop goal, to win the match 17-16.

For the first time since 1986, the final did not feature Leeds, St Helens, Wigan or Warrington. It was also the first time the men's and women's final took place at Wembley on the same day – 12 August 2023.[6][7]

Background
Olympic Way prior to kickoff

The 2023 Challenge Cup final was Leigh Leopards' third final and first in 52 years after winning the 1970–71 Challenge Cup final. Their only other final was in 1920–21 which also resulted in a Leigh win. Leigh were a newly promoted side in 2023 and second in Super League upon reaching the final.

Hull KR by contrast were playing in their eighth Challenge Cup final, with their most recent being their 2015 defeat to Leeds Rhinos treble-winning side. Their only win of their previous seven however was a derby day victory in 1979–80. Hull KR qualified for the cup final placed sixth in the Super League table.

Route to the final

Leigh Leopards
Round Opposition Venue Score
Sixth round Wakefield Trinity Belle Vue 40–12
Quarter-final York Knights York Community Stadium 34–14
Semi-final St Helens Halliwell Jones Stadium 12–10

Hull KR
Round Opposition Venue Score
Sixth round Batley Bulldogs Craven Park 50–0
Quarter-final Salford Red Devils Craven Park 28–10
Semi-final Wigan Warriors Headingley 11–10
(golden point)

Source:[5]

Pre match
Pre match at Wembley

Before the final, St Helens and Leeds Rhinos competed in the 2023 Women's Challenge Cup final.[5] The match was won by St Helens 22–8, seeing Saints win the competition for the third time in a row and sixth in total.[8]

Traffic on the M1 prevented an estimated 20,000 ticketholders from being present at kickoff.[9]

Match details
Saturday, 12 August
15:00 (BST)
Hull KR 16–17
(g.p.)		 Leigh Leopards
Tries: Litten (15')
Parcell (79')
Goals: Schneider (4/4) 16', 40' (penalty), 47' (penalty), 79'
 report
 Tries: Lam (27')
Briscoe (66')
Goals: Reynolds (4/5) 5' (penalty), 27', 31' (penalty), 67'
Drop goals: Lam (83')
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 58,213
Referee: Chris Kendall
Team details
Hull KRPositionLeigh Leopards
NameNumberNumberName
Mikey Lewis20Fullback17Gareth O'Brien
Ethan Ryan2Wing5Josh Charnley
Tom Opacic3Centre3Ed Chamberlain
Shaun Kenny-Dowall4Centre4Zak Hardaker
Ryan Hall5Wing2Tom Briscoe
Rowan Milnes21Stand off15Ben Reynolds
Brad Schneider37Scrum half7Lachlan Lam
Rhys Kennedy downward-facing red arrow 28' upward-facing green arrow 60' downward-facing red arrow 70'15Prop forward8Tom Amone
Jez Litten14Hooker9Edwin Ipape
George King downward-facing red arrow 28' upward-facing green arrow 54'10Prop forward10Robbie Mulhern
James Batchelor16Second row24Kai O'Donnell
Kane Linnett12Second row12Jack Hughes
Elliott Minchella yellow card 31' to 41' downward-facing red arrow 60' upward-facing green arrow 70'13Loose forward13John Asiata
Matt Parcell9Interchange6Joe Mellor
Matty Storton17Interchange16Oliver Holmes
Dean Hadley upward-facing green arrow 28' downward-facing red arrow 75'22Interchange14Ben Nakubuwai
Sam Luckley upward-facing green arrow 28' downward-facing red arrow 54' upward-facing green arrow 75'26Interchange18Matty Davis
Jimmy Keinhorst18Concussion substitute11Joe Wardle
Willie PetersCoachAdrian Lam

Post match
Leigh Leopards lifting the Challenge Cup trophy in the Royal Box Presentation Area

Following both the men's and women's challenge cup final, Wembley hosted the Year 7 boys schools' final and the final of the 2023 1895 Cup.[10] The 1895 Cup Final saw Halifax Panthers beat Batley Bulldogs 12–10.[11]

The following day there was a trophy parade held in Leigh to celebrate the Leopards' victory.[12]

References
  1. Pattison, Cam (August 11, 2023). "Wife of former rugby league player to sing Abide With Me". Rugby League News.
  2. "Challenge Cup 2023 final attendance revealed with motorway impacting supporters; Women's game enjoys record crowd". LoveRugbyLeague. 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  3. "Hull KR and Leigh 'have earned cup final place'". BBC Sport. August 11, 2023.
  4. Bower, Aaron (August 11, 2023). "Challenge Cup final: Hull KR and Leigh look to end long wait for glory" – via The Guardian.
  5. "Challenge Cup final 2023: Talking points for rugby league's historic women's and men's Wembley showpiece". Sky Sports.
  6. "Challenge Cup final to return to Wembley in 2023". BBC Sport.
  7. "Wembley to host Challenge Cup final double-header in 2023". LoveRugbyLeague. August 12, 2022.
  8. "Saints beat Leeds in historic Challenge Cup final" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  9. "Challenge Cup: Motorway delays as rugby league fans make their way to Wembley Stadium". LoveRugbyLeague. August 12, 2023.
  10. "1895 Cup: The eight clubs that can move within 80 minutes of Wembley". LoveRugbyLeague. April 20, 2023.
  11. "Listen: 1895 Cup final - Batley Bulldogs v Halifax Panthers". August 11, 2023 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  12. https://www.leighjournal.co.uk/news/23720161.crowds-line-streets-leigh-leopards-incredible-trophy-parade/
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