Challenge Cup 2005

The 2005 Powergen Challenge Cup was played by teams from across Europe during the 2005 rugby league season.

Results

* 2nd April Leeds 26 - Warrington 22
* 2nd April Pia 53 - Keighley 26
* 2nd April Toulouse 60 - Wath Barrow 12
* 3rd April Barrow 33 - Sheffield 26
* 3rd April Leigh 25 - Batley 8
* 3rd April Doncaster 34 - Workington 18
* 3rd April Bradford 80 - Featherstone 14
* 3rd April Halifax 23 - Castleford 14
* 3rd April St Helens 26 - Huddersfield 22
* 3rd April London 70 - Hunslet 4
* 3rd April York 32 - Oldham 28
* 3rd April Salford 30 - Roachdale 24
* 3rd April UTC 32 - Hull KR 18
* 3rd April Hull 36 - Wakefield 12
* 3rd April Widnes 32 - Swinton 18
* 3rd April Wigan 42 - Whitehaven 4
* 6th May Leeds 70 - Pia 0
* 6th May St Helens 62 - York 0
* 6th May Wigan 16 - UTC 10
* 7th May Hull 26 - Bradford 24
* 7th May Toulouse 32 - Doncaster 18
* 8th May Widnes 50 - Barrow 8
* 8th May Leigh 40 - Halifax 20
* 24th June Leeds 32 - London 12
* 26th June St Helens 75 - Wigan 0
* 26th June Toulouse 40 - Widnes 24
* 30th July Hull 34 - St Helens 8
* 31st July Leeds 56 - Toulouse 18

Final

Katherine Jenkins performed at the match which was at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff and attended by 74,213 spectators. Leeds came to the final 4/1 favourites to win and stamped their authority on the game in the early stages with a penalty try which was converted by Kevin Sinfield. Hull fought back with a try from Motu Tony converted by Danny Brough. Hull took the lead for the first time through Gareth Raynor's try in the corner after a superb offload by Nathan Blacklock. Brough converted brilliantly to make the score 12-6. Leeds fought back and a try from Danny Ward convert by Sinfield to draw the scores level. A dreadful Marcus Bai error in his own in-goal area as he tried to keep the ball alive gifted Richard Whiting a try for Hull which was converted by Brough. Minutes later Brough added a drop goal to make the score 19 - 12 to Hull. A Mark Calderwood converted try set up a tense finish with the score at 19 - 18.

It seemed as though Leeds were going to walk away with the spoils as Marcus Bai rectified his earlier error by grabbing a late try which was converted by Sinfield and left the score 24-19 but it wasn't meant to be. The immense noise of the loyal hull fans as Hull-born Paul Cooke broke through the Leeds defense and cleverly put the ball down underneath the posts to make sure Hull got the conversion. The youngster Danny Brough capped off an outstanding performance by converting the try under pressure to make the score 25 - 24 to Hull. In the dying seconds Richard Swain charged down a drop goal attempt to keep the scores as they were and hull held on for arguably the best challenge cup final ever. Hull overturned all the odds, beating champions Bradford Bulls and cup holders St helens along the way.

cores

* 4-0 penalty try (Calderwood)
* 6-0 Sinfield con
* 6-4 Tony try
* 6-6 Brough con
* 6-10 Raynor try
* 6-12 Brough con
* 10-12 Ward try
* 12-12 Sinfield con
* 12-16 Whiting try
* 12-18 Brough con
* 12-19 Brough drop goal
* 16-19 Calderwood try
* 18-19 Sinfield con
* 22-19 Bai try
* 24-19 Sinfield con
* 24-23 Cooke try
* 24-25 Brough con

Rosters

Leeds

* Mathers
* Calderwood
* Walker
* Senior
* Bai
* Sinfield
* Burrow
* Bailey
* Diskin
* Ward
* Lauitiiti
* McKenna
* Ellis

ubs

* McGuire
* Dunemann
* Poching
* Jones-Buchanan.

Hull

Coach: John Kear

* 1. Motu Tony
* 2. Nathan Blacklock
* 3. Kirk Yeaman
* 4. Richard Whiting
* 5. Gareth Raynor
* 6. Richard Horne
* 7. Danny Brough
* 8. Ewan Dowes
* 9. Richard Swain
* 10. Gareth Carvell
* 11. Shayne McMenemy
* 12. Stephen Kearney
* 13. Paul Cooke

ubs

* 14. Paul King
* 15. Jamie Thackray
* 16. Tommy Saxton
* 17. Chris Chester

Referee

* S Ganson (St Helens)

Man of the Match

Kevin Sinfield was the man of match, but the losing captain

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/challenge_cup/4169230.stm "Hull stun Leeds in Challenge Cup", article on news.bbc.co.uk]
* [http://www.rlphotos.com/2005specials/RLCCFinal/index.htm 2005 Challenge Cup Final at rlphotos.com]