The 2003 Challenge Cup was sponsored by Powergen and was held during the 2002–03 season. The final was held on Saturday 26 April 2003, at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, UK. The game was won by Bradford Bulls who defeated Leeds Rhinos.[1]

2003 Powergen Challenge Cup
Duration9 Rounds
Highest attendance71,212
Broadcast partnersUnited Kingdom BBC Sport
Winners Bradford Bulls
Runners-up Leeds Rhinos
Lance Todd Trophy Gary Connolly

First round

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Date Team one Team two Score
30 Nov Askam Ideal Isberg 2-12
30 Nov Bradford Dudley Syngenta 12-4
30 Nov British Army Hunslet Warriors 10-22
30 Nov Castleford Panthers Walney 4-11
30 Nov Cott. Phoenix Navy 34-2
30 Nov Dublin Exiles Birkenshaw 0-56
30 Nov East Hull Normanton 36-4
30 Nov Eastmoor Wigan St Judes 18-26
30 Nov Edinburgh Oulton 8-26
30 Nov Elland Sharlston Rovers 12-8
30 Nov Featherstone Lions Ince Rose Bridge 16-8
30 Nov Hensingham Simms Cross 4-9
30 Nov Heworth Thornhill 4-24
30 Nov Leigh East Eccles 46-4
30 Nov Leigh Miners R. West Hull 20-6
30 Nov Milford Widnes St Maries 16-8
30 Nov Millom Embassy 20-26
30 Nov Redhill York Acorn 24-12
30 Nov RAF Crosfields 2-5
30 Nov Sheffield Hills Skirlaugh 8-24
30 Nov Siddal Leeds Met University 78-0
30 Nov Thatto Heath Cas. Lock Lane 12-19
30 Nov Waterhead Hull Dockers 16-12
30 Nov Wath Brow Hornets East Leeds 12-0
30 Nov West Bowling Rochdale Mayfield 28-0
30 Nov Wigan St Pats Oldham St Annes 17-20
30 Nov Woolston Saddleworth 20-10
30 Nov Shaw Cross Cardiff Demons 56-12

Second round

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Date Team one Team two Score
14 Dec Birkenshaw West Bowling 0-14
14 Dec Cas. Lock Lane Thornhill 8-18
14 Dec Cott. Phoenix Bradford Dudley 17-4
14 Dec East Hull Coventry Bears 48-8
14 Dec Elland Redhill 4-13
14 Dec Featherstone Lions Oldham St Annes 10-12
14 Dec Hunslet Warriors Woolston 18-30
14 Dec Leigh East Skirlaugh 20-28
14 Dec Leigh Miners R. Crosfields 68-8
14 Dec Siddal Ideal Isberg 14-0
14 Dec Walney Simms Cross 2-12
14 Dec Waterhead Shaw Cross 4-18
14 Dec Wath Brow Hornets Milford 66-6
14 Dec Wigan St Judes Oulton 16-24
15 Dec Embassy Strela Kazan 20-16

Third round

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Date Team one Team two Score
24 Jan Chorley Lynx Leigh Miners R. 36-14
24 Jan Oulton Sheffield Eagles 8-22
24 Jan Wath Brow Hornets Workington Town 13-12
25 Jan Leigh Locomotiv 62-0
26 Jan Barrow Embassy 70-6
26 Jan Doncaster Redhill 64-2
26 Jan Featherstone Rovers Villeneuve 26-22
26 Jan Gateshead UTC 4-38
26 Jan Hull Kingston Rovers Siddal 28-0
26 Jan Hunslet Hawks Pia 28-18
26 Jan Keighley Thornhill 33-10
26 Jan Oldham St Annes Rochdale Hornets 18-62
26 Jan Oldham East Hull 32-6
26 Jan Salford City Toulouse 26-10
26 Jan Simms Cross London Skolars 15-8
26 Jan Skirlaugh York City Knights 8-20
26 Jan Swinton Shaw Cross 46-0
26 Jan West Bowling Batley 12-34
26 Jan Whitehaven Cott. Phoenix 66-6
26 Jan Woolston Dewsbury 12-34

Fourth round

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Date Team one Team two Score
8 Feb UTC St Helens 6-70
8 Feb Wakefield Trinity Castleford Tigers 20-18
8 Feb Warrington Bradford 12-38
8 Feb Wath Brow Hornets Batley 6-18
9 Feb Barrow Salford City 6-22
9 Feb Featherstone Rovers Leigh 28-22
9 Feb Hull FC Halifax 24-16
9 Feb Hunslet Hawks Huddersfield 18-14
9 Feb Chorley Lynx Swinton 16-32
9 Feb Leeds Whitehaven 46-6
9 Feb London Oldham 42-12
9 Feb Rochdale Hornets Hull Kingston Rovers 20-27
9 Feb Sheffield Eagles Keighley 25-24
9 Feb Widnes Dewsbury 48-6
9 Feb Wigan Simms Cross 82-3
9 Feb York City Knights Doncaster 20-21

Fifth round

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Date Team one Team two Score
28 Feb St Helens Saints Batley Bulldogs 38-12
28 Feb Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Widnes Vikings 12-22
1 Mar Swinton Lions Featherstone Rovers 32-10
2 Mar Leeds Rhinos London Broncos 21-12
2 Mar Hunslet Hawks Bradford Bulls 0-82
2 Mar Doncaster Dragons Wigan Warriors 10-50
2 Mar Sheffield Eagles Hull F.C. 0-88
2 Mar Hull Kingston Rovers Salford City Reds 2-12

Quarter-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
15 Mar Widnes Vikings Bradford Bulls 28-38
16 Mar Swinton Lions Wigan Warriors 12-70
16 Mar Leeds Rhinos Hull F.C. 41-18
16 Mar Salford City Reds St Helens Saints 6-54

Semi-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
12 Apr Leeds Rhinos St Helens Saints 33-26
13 Apr Wigan Warriors Bradford Bulls 22-36

Final

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Bradford and Leeds lining up against each other in the Final at the Millennium Stadium

Final Score: Bradford Bulls 22 - 20 Leeds Rhinos

Referee: Russell Smith (Castleford)

Attendance: 71,212

Bradford Bulls team

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Robbie Paul, Tevita Vaikona, Scott Naylor, Shontayne Hape, Lesley Vainikolo, Leon Pryce, Paul Deacon, Joe Vagana, James Lowes, Daniel Gartner, Lee Radford, Jamie Peacock, Mike Forshaw

Subs: Karl Pratt, Lee Gilmour, Rob Parker, Paul Anderson Coach: Brian Noble

Scorers

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Tries: Robbie Paul, Tevita Vaikona, Jamie Peacock

Goals: Paul Deacon (5)

Leeds Rhinos team

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Gary Connolly, Mark Calderwood, Chris McKenna, Keith Senior, Francis Cummins, Kevin Sinfield, Andrew Dunemann, Ryan Bailey, Matt Diskin, Barrie McDermott, Chev Walker, Matt Adamson, David Furner

Subs: Rob Burrow, Willie Poching, Danny Ward, Wayne McDonald Coach: Daryl Powell

Scorers

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Tries: Gary Connolly, Chris McKenna, David Furner

Goals: Kevin Sinfield (4)

Man of the Match

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The Lance Todd Trophy was awarded to Gary Connolly (Leeds).[2]

Half time entertainment

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Mis-Teeq performed at half time.

Television coverage

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BBC Sport had live rights to the tournament in the United Kingdom from the fourth round onwards.

The matches shown live on the BBC were: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 20–18 Castleford Tigers and Warrington Wolves 12-38 Bradford Bulls (R4); Leeds Rhinos 21–12 London Broncos and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 12–22 Widnes Vikings (R5); Widnes Vikings 28–38 Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos 41–18 Hull (QF); Leeds Rhinos 33–26 St Helens and Wigan Warriors 22–36 Bradford Bulls (SF); and Bradford Bulls 22–20 Leeds Rhinos (Final).

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References

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  1. ^ "Bradford win Challenge Cup". BBC Sport.
  2. ^ "Lance Todd Trophy winners". BBC Sport.