Wikipedia

1970–71 Challenge Cup

The 1970–71 Challenge Cup was the 70th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup.

1970–71 Challenge Cup
Highest attendance85,514
Broadcast partnersBBC
Winners Leigh
Runners-up Leeds
Lance Todd Trophy Alex Murphy

The final was contested by Leeds and Leigh at Wembley.

First round

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Date Team one Team two Score
23 Jan Barrow Widnes 11-15
23 Jan Batley Wigan 4-13
23 Jan Blackpool Huddersfield 7-8
23 Jan Leeds Oldham 49-2
23 Jan Swinton Huyton 13-2
23 Jan Thames Board Mills Hunslet 5-49
23 Jan Warrington Rochdale Hornets 13-7
23 Jan Whitehaven Castleford 0-15
23 Jan Workington Town St Helens 6-8
24 Jan Hull BOCM Dewsbury 3-25
24 Jan Bramley Doncaster 6-5
24 Jan Halifax Featherstone Rovers 13-18
24 Jan Keighley Hull Kingston Rovers 9-9
24 Jan Leigh Bradford Northern 9-2
24 Jan Salford Wakefield Trinity 6-6
24 Jan York Hull FC 0-2
27 Jan -replay Hull Kingston Rovers Keighley 11-18
27 Jan - replay Wakefield Trinity Salford 8-15

Second round

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Date Team one Team two Score
19 Feb Castleford Keighley 9-6
20 Feb Leeds St Helens 4-0
21 Feb Dewsbury Bramley 13-17
21 Feb Featherstone Rovers Hull FC 7-7
21 Feb Hunslet Huddersfield 0-16
21 Feb Salford Warrington 20-9
21 Feb Swinton Wigan 8-2
21 Feb Widnes Leigh 11-14
24 Feb -replay Hull FC Featherstone Rovers 12-8

Quarter-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
06 Mar Bramley Leeds 0-14
06 Mar Castleford Salford 9-8
07 Mar Huddersfield Swinton 11-8
07 Mar Leigh Hull FC 8-4

Semi-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
27 Mar Leeds Castleford 19-8
03 Apr Leigh Huddersfield 10-4

Final

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The final was played on Saturday 15 May 1971, where Leigh beat Leeds 24-7 at Wembley in front of a crowd of 85,514.[1]

The winner of the Lance Todd Trophy was Leigh's captain-coach, Alex Murphy[2] who was stretchered off after a clash with Leeds player, Syd Hynes. For his part in the "clash", Hynes was sent off,[3][4] and became the first player to be sent-off in a Challenge Cup final after the headbutt on Leigh's Murphy.[5][6]

This was Leigh's second Cup final win in two final appearances. It was their last appearance in a Challenge Cup final until 2023.[7]

15 May 1971
Leigh 24 – 7 Leeds
Try Dorrington, Eckersley
Goals Ferguson (5)
DG Fiddler, Murphy (2), Eckersley 		Try Wainwright
Goals Holmes (2)
Wembley, London
Attendance: 85,514
Referee: Billy Thompson
Player of the Match: Alex Murphy
1 David Eckersley
2 Stuart Ferguson
3 Stan Dorrington
4 Mick Collins
5 Joseph Walsh
6 Tony Barrow
7 Alex Murphy (c)  
8 Derek Watts
9 Kevin Ashcroft
10 Jimmy Fiddler
11 Paul Grimes
12 Geoffrey Clarkson
13 Peter Smethurst
Substitutes:
14 Les Chisnall  
15 Roy Lester (unused)
Coach:
Alex Murphy
1 John Holmes
2 John Langley
3 Syd Hynes (c)  
4 Ronnie Cowan  
5 John Atkinson
6 Tony Wainwright
7 Barry Seabourne
8 John Burke
9 Tony Fisher
10 Ted Barnard
11 David Hick
12 Bob Haigh
13 Bill Ramsey
Substitutes:
14 Les Dyl  
15 Phil Cookson (unused)
Coach:
Derek Turner

References

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  1. ^ "RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  2. ^ news.bbc.co.uk (27 February 2004). "Cup heroes: Alex Murphy". BBC Sport. UK: BBC. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  3. ^ "Cup Final Sending Off". Archived from the original on 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  4. ^ Raymond Fletcher; David Howes (1995). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1995-1996. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 199. ISBN 0-7472-7817-2.
  5. ^ Hadfield, Dave (11 May 2012). "Leigh v Leeds: Greatest Cup upset was child's play". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  6. ^ Smith, Peter (5 June 2014). "Leeds Rhinos: Leeds still smarting from controversial 1971 cup final". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  7. ^ "RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
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