2008 Challenge Cup

The 2008 Challenge Cup (also known as the Carnegie Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 107th staging of the most prestigious knock-out competition in the world of Rugby league, featuring teams from across Europe, including England, Scotland, Wales, France and Russia. It began in February 2008.

2008 Carnegie Challenge Cup
Duration9 Rounds
Highest attendance82,821
Broadcast partnersUnited Kingdom BBC Sport
Winners St. Helens
Runners-up Hull
Biggest home win Wigan 106-8
Whitehaven
Biggest away win Workington Town 12-68
Hull Kingston Rovers
Lance Todd Trophy Paul Wellens

Teams from the National League were given byes to round three, and teams from the Super League entered in round four. Teams from outside the UK were introduced at various stages.

St. Helens successfully defended their title after beating Hull F.C. 28 - 16 in the final.

Round 1
(week ending 3 February, 3 fixtures played Saturday 9 February (indicated with *), 1 on Saturday 16 February (indicated with **))
Tie no Home team Score Away team
1 Askham 12 – 20 West Bowling
2* Bradford Dudley Hill 72 – 0 Dewsbury Celtic
3 Bramley Buffaloes 24 – 16 Castleford Panthers
4 British Army 34 – 12 Thatto Heath
5 Castleford Lock Lane 18 – 32 Royal Navy
6* Drighlington 10 – 20 Bank Quay Bulls
7 East Hull 54 – 6 Royal Air Force
8* Eastmoor 10 – 23 Queens
9 Eccles & Salford 10 – 28 Leigh East
10 Ellenbrough Rangers 17 – 1 Saddleworth Rangers
11 Hull Wyke 18 – 14 York Acorn
12 Ince Rose Bridge 28 – 6 *** Hunslet Old Boys
13 Leigh Miners Rangers 24 – 18 Halton Simms Cross
14 Mayfield 48 – 4 Crosfields
15 Millom 38 – 0 Milford Marlins
16 Normanton Knights 38 – 8 Edinburgh Eagles
17 Oulton Raiders 48 – 4 Oldham St Annes
18 Seaton Rangers 6 – 38 Featherstone Lions
19 Siddal 62 – 6 Egremont Rangers
20 Skirlaugh 46 – 14 Waterhead
21 St Albans 16 – 42 Hull Dockers
22 St Marys 22 – 30 Warrington Wizards
23 Stanningley 16 – 10 Shaw Cross Sharks
24 Thornhill 20 – 26 Leeds Met
25 Wath Brow Hornets 58 – 4 Heworth
26* West Hull 48 – 14 Widnes St Maries
27 Wigan St Patricks 44 – 14 Ovenden

*** - Match abandoned after Hunslet Old Boys had 4 players sent off. Hunslet Old Boys were subsequently thrown out of the competition.[1]

Round 2
(weekend of 23 – 24 February)

Russian team Vereya joined in this round. Vereya were runners-up in the Russian Championship to Lokomotiv Moscow. Lokomotiv Moscow joined in the third round.

Tie no Home team Score Away team
1 Bank Quay Bulls 29 – 0 Millom
2 Bramley Buffaloes 16 – 26 Wigan St. Patricks
3 Hull Dockers 14 – 19 Skirlaugh
4 Ince Rose Bridge 25 – 26 British Army
5 Leeds Met Uni 20 – 8 Leigh East
6 Leigh Miners Rangers 64 – 12 Vereya
7 Normanton 18 – 38 East Hull
8 Oulton Raiders 18 – 14 West Hull
9 Royal Navy 6 – 36 Rochdale Mayfield
10 Siddal 6 – 17 Queens
11 Warrington Wizards 26 – 10 Stanningley
12 Wath Brow Hornets 8 – 6 Ellenborough Rangers
13 West Bowling 16 – 34 Featherstone Lions
14 York Acorn 14 – 6 Bradford Dudley Hill

Round 3
(weekend of 8 – 9 March)

The National Leagues teams, together with Lokomotiv Moscow, Pia, Lezignan and Toulouse joined in this round. Super League teams joined in Round 4.

Tie no Home team Score Away team
1 Bank Quay Bulls 6 – 36 Hunslet
2 Batley 42 – 10 East Hull
3 Blackpool 16 – 23 Featherstone Rovers
4 British Army 10 – 56 Oldham
5 Celtic Crusaders 58 – 10 Lokomotiv Moscow
6 Gateshead Thunder 24 – 26 Pia
7 Keighley 14 – 17 Toulouse
8 Leeds Met Uni 16 – 44 Doncaster
9 Leigh 66 – 0 Featherstone Lions
10 Leigh Miners Rangers 14 – 40 Whitehaven
11 London Skolars 20 – 8 Queens
12 Rochdale Mayfield 10 – 30 Barrow
13 Oulton Raiders 24 – 54 Dewsbury
14 Rochdale Hornets 50 – 8 York Acorn
15 Salford 66 – 10 Warrington Wizards
16 Sheffield Eagles 22 – 37 Lezignan
17 Wath Brow Hornets 14 – 40 Swinton
18 Widnes 60 – 18 Skirlaugh
19 Wigan St. Patricks 14 – 50 Workington Town
20 York 12 – 34 Halifax

Round 4
(Weekend of 18 – 20 April)

Super League teams joined in Round 4. From Round 4 onwards, the competition was a straightforward knock-out, with no more teams joining.

Tie no Home team Score Away team
1 Batley 12 – 26 Dewsbury
2 Leigh 16 – 28 Warrington
3 Workington Town 12 – 68 Hull Kingston Rovers
4 Harlequins 44 – 14 Castleford
5 Doncaster 12 – 38 Widnes
6 Featherstone Rovers 12 – 22 Catalans Dragons
7 Barrow 48 – 16 Hunslet
8 Salford 8 – 38 Wakefield Trinity
9 Leeds 38 – 16 Celtic Crusaders
10 Swinton 8 – 20 Oldham
11 Bradford 98 – 6 Toulouse Olympique
12 Halifax 24 – 42 Huddersfield
13 Whitehaven 46 – 6 Lézignan Sangliers
14 St. Helens 56 – 0 London Skolars
15 Rochdale Hornets 5 – 42 Hull F.C.
16 Wigan 74 – 4 Pia Donkeys

All fixtures taken from BBC Sport

Round 5
(weekend of 9 – 12 May)
Tie no Home team Score Away team
1 Hull Kingston Rovers 42 – 22 Huddersfield
2 Barrow 6 – 58 Wakefield Trinity
3 Dewsbury 12 – 58 Oldham
4 Bradford 46 – 16 Catalans Dragons
5 Wigan 106 – 8 Whitehaven
6 Widnes 18 – 32* Hull F.C.
7 Harlequins 26 – 36 Leeds
8 St. Helens 40 – 34 Warrington

Quarter finals
1 June 2008
Bradford 16 – 22 Hull F.C.
Try: Tupou 54' c
Sykes 78' m
Goal: Harris (4)		 (Preview)
 Try: Sing 31' c, 43' c
Byrne 39' c
Goal: Tickle (5)
31 May 2008
Leeds 23 – 16 Wigan
Try: Diskin 5' c
Burrow 28' c
Webb 57' c
Donald 76' c
Goal: Sinfield (3)
Drop: Sinfield 80'		 (Report)
 Try: Calderwood 38' c
T. Leuluai 66' c
Goal: Richards (4)
Headingley, Leeds
Referee: Richard Silverwood
1 June 2008
Wakefield Trinity 46 – 4 Oldham
Try: Gleeson (2)
Blanch
Wilkes
Drew
Rooney (2)
Brough
Martin
Goal: Brough (5)		 (Preview)
 Try: Onyango
Belle Vue, Wakefield
Referee: Ben Thaler

Semi finals
27 July 2008
Wakefield Trinity 24 v 32 Hull F.C.
Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Referee: Richard Silverwood

Final
Main article: 2008 Challenge Cup Final
30 August 2008
St. Helens 28 v 16 Hull F.C.

UK Broadcasting rights

Selected matches were televised solely by the BBC.

Round Live match Date BBC channel
Round 4 Harlequins 44 - 14 Castleford
Salford 8 - 38 Wakefield Trinity		 BBC Two1
Round 5 Hull Kingston Rovers 42 - 22 Huddesfield
St. Helens 40 - 34 Warrington		 BBC Two1
BBC One
Quarter finals Leeds 23 - 16 Wigan
Bradford 16 - 22 Hull		 May 31, 2008
June 1, 2008		 BBC One
BBC Two2
Semi finals Leeds 16 - 26 St. Helens
Wakefield Trinity 24 - 32 Hull		 July 26, 2008
July 27, 2008		 BBC One
BBC Two3
Final St. Helens 28 - 16 Hull August 30, 2008 BBC One

1 Except East and Yorkshire.

2 Except East, Northern Ireland and Yorkshire.

3 Except Yorkshire.

References
  1. "Hunslet Old Boys pay Cup penalty". BBC News. 5 February 2008. Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2008.
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