# 2013 Championship Cup

The 2013 Championship Cup, (known for commercial reasons as the Northern Rail Cup), was the 12th and last season of the rugby league football competition for clubs in Great Britain's Championship and Championship 1.
Leigh beat Sheffield 43-28 in the final, which was played at Halifax's The Shay.

## Format

For 2013, the format of the competition was changed to coincide with the expansion of the Championship from 10 to 14 teams. The competition began on 3 March with a group stage containing eight teams from the 2013 Championship 1 split into two groups. Each team played four games (two home, two away) with three of the games being played against the other teams in the group and the fourth game being played against a team from the other group.
Following the completion of the group stage, the teams finishing first in each group progressed to the knock-out stages where they join the 14 teams from the Championship to make up 16 teams. There were three knock-out rounds (play-off, quarter final, semi final) before the final on 20 July 2013 at The Shay in Halifax. The final took place after the inaugural Northern Rail Bowl final, involving the two highest-ranked teams from the group stages.

## 2013 Competition Results
### Group stage
#### Round 1

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| North Wales Crusaders | 48 – 12 | Oldham R.L.F.C. | 3 March, 14:30 GMT | Racecourse Ground | Clint Sharrad | 721 |
| Gloucestershire All Golds | 18 – 36 | Hemel Stags | 3 March, 15:00 GMT | Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham | Peter Brooke | 256 |
| Rochdale Hornets | 58 – 16 | Gateshead Thunder | 3 March, 15:00 GMT | Spotland Stadium | Joe Cobb | 508 |
| South Wales Scorpions | 12 – 54 | London Skolars | 3 March, 15:00 GMT | The Gnoll | Tom Crashley | 329 |
| Source: |||||||||

#### Round 2

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| Gateshead Thunder | 4 – 30 | North Wales Crusaders | 10 March, 15:00 GMT | MS3 Craven Park, Hull | Dave Sharpe | 228 |
| Gloucestershire All Golds | 20 – 42 | South Wales Scorpions | 10 March, 15:00 GMT | Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham | Clint Sharrad | |
| London Skolars | 26 – 4 | Hemel Stags | 10 March, 15:00 GMT | New River Stadium | Jamie Bloem | |
| Oldham R.L.F.C. | 26 – 10 | Rochdale Hornets | 10 March, 15:00 GMT | Whitebank Stadium | Tom Crashley | 518 |
| Source: |||||||||

#### Round 3

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| North Wales Crusaders | 30 – 16 | Rochdale Hornets | 17 March, 14:30 GMT | Racecourse Ground | Peter Brooke | 659 |
| Hemel Stags | 20 – 22 | South Wales Scorpions | 17 March, 15:00 GMT | Pennine Way stadium | Dave Sharpe | 179 |
| London Skolars | 20 – 0 | Gloucestershire All Golds | 17 March, 15:00 GMT | New River Stadium | Tom Crashley | 251 |
| Oldham R.L.F.C. | 34 – 16 | Gateshead Thunder | 17 March, 15:00 GMT | Whitebank Stadium | Joe Cobb | 476 |
| Source: |||||||||

#### Round 4

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| Gateshead Thunder | 16 – 18 | Gloucestershire All Golds | 24 March, 15:00 GMT | Crow Trees (Blaydon RFC) | Jamie Bloem | 142 |
| South Wales Scorpions | 12 – 24 | Oldham R.L.F.C. | 24 March, 15:00 GMT | The Gnoll | Peter Brooke | 280 |
| Rochdale Hornets | 40 – 16 | London Skolars | 1 April 15:00 BST | Spotland Stadium | Joe Cobb | 413 |
| Hemel Stags | 24 – 36 | North Wales Crusaders | 23 April 19:00 BST | Pennine Way stadium | Tom Crashley | 129 |
| Source: |||||||||

#### Tables

2013 Northern Rail Cup: Pool A :
| # | | PLD | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | PTS |
| 1 | North Wales Crusaders | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 144 | 56 | +88 | 0 | 12 |
| 2 | Oldham R.L.F.C. | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 96 | 86 | +10 | 0 | 9 |
| 3 | Rochdale Hornets | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 124 | 88 | +36 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | Gateshead Thunder | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 52 | 140 | -88 | 1 | 1 |
2013 Northern Rail Cup: Pool B :
| # | | PLD | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | PTS |
| 1 | London Skolars | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 116 | 56 | +60 | 0 | 9 |
| 2 | South Wales Scorpions | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 88 | 118 | -30 | 1 | 7 |
| 3 | Hemel Stags | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 84 | 102 | -18 | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Gloucestershire All Golds | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 56 | 114 | -58 | 0 | 3 |
* Teams qualifying for the next round
Tables are correct as of 23 April 2013. Source: rugbyleaguechampionships.co.uk and BBC Sport.
Classification: 1st on competition points; 2nd on match points difference. Competition Points: For win = 3; For draw = 2; For loss by 12 points or fewer = 1

### Knock-out Stages
#### Finals Tournament Bracket

| 1st Knock-out Round | 1st Knock-out Round | 1st Knock-out Round | Quarter Final | Quarter Final | Quarter Final | Semi Final | Semi Final | Semi Final | | Final | Final | Final |
| Keighley Cougars | Keighley Cougars | 18 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Batley Bulldogs | Batley Bulldogs | 38 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Batley Bulldogs | Batley Bulldogs | 38 | Batley Bulldogs | Batley Bulldogs | 30 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Workington Town | Workington Town | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Workington Town | Workington Town | 36 | Workington Town | Workington Town | 4 | | | | | | | |
| Hunslet Hawks | Hunslet Hawks | 16 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hunslet Hawks | Hunslet Hawks | 16 | | | | Batley Bulldogs | Batley Bulldogs | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Leigh Centurions | Leigh Centurions | 23 | | | | |
| Featherstone Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 12 | | | | | | | Leigh Centurions | Leigh Centurions | 23 | | | | |
| Leigh Centurions | Leigh Centurions | 22 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Leigh Centurions | Leigh Centurions | 22 | Leigh Centurions | Leigh Centurions | 34 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Whitehaven | Whitehaven | 18 | | | | | | | |
| London Skolars | London Skolars | 16 | Whitehaven | Whitehaven | 18 | | | | | | | |
| Whitehaven | Whitehaven | 62 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Whitehaven | Whitehaven | 62 | | | | | | | | Leigh Centurions | Leigh Centurions | 43 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Sheffield Eagles | Sheffield Eagles | 28 |
| Swinton Lions | Swinton Lions | 26 | | | | | | | | | | | Sheffield Eagles | Sheffield Eagles | 28 |
| North Wales Crusaders | North Wales Crusaders | 18 | | | | | | | | | | |
| North Wales Crusaders | North Wales Crusaders | 18 | Swinton Lions | Swinton Lions | 14 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Doncaster | Doncaster | 36 | | | | | | | |
| York City Knights | York City Knights | 12 | Doncaster | Doncaster | 36 | | | | | | | |
| Doncaster | Doncaster | 24 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Doncaster | Doncaster | 24 | | | | Doncaster | Doncaster | 10 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Sheffield Eagles | Sheffield Eagles | 32 | | | | |
| Sheffield Eagles | Sheffield Eagles | 64 | | | | | | | Sheffield Eagles | Sheffield Eagles | 32 | | | | |
| Barrow Raiders | Barrow Raiders | 10 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Barrow Raiders | Barrow Raiders | 10 | Sheffield Eagles | Sheffield Eagles | 26 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Dewsbury Rams | Dewsbury Rams | 16 | | | | | | | |
| Dewsbury Rams | Dewsbury Rams | 20 | Dewsbury Rams | Dewsbury Rams | 16 | | | | | | | |
| Halifax | Halifax | 18 | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Play Off Round

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| Dewsbury Rams | 20 – 18 | Halifax | 16 May, 19:30 BST | Tetley's Stadium | George Stokes | 800 |
| London Skolars | 16 – 62 | Whitehaven | 19 May, 14:00 BST | New River Stadium | Joe Cobb | 276 |
| Featherstone Rovers | 12 – 22 | Leigh Centurions | 19 May, 15:00 BST | Bigfellas Stadium | Matt Thomason | 1,745 |
| Keighley Cougars | 18 – 38 | Batley Bulldogs | 19 May, 15:00 BST | Cougar Park | Dave Merrick | 714 |
| Sheffield Eagles | 64 – 10 | Barrow Raiders | 19 May, 15:00 BST | Don Valley Stadium | Chris Leatherbarrow | 408 |
| Swinton Lions | 26 – 18 | North Wales Crusaders | 19 May, 15:00 BST | Leigh Sports Village | Jamie Leahy | 544 |
| Workington Town | 36 – 16 | Hunslet Hawks | 19 May, 15:00 BST | Derwent Park | Gareth Hewer | 569 |
| York City Knights | 12 – 24 | Doncaster | 19 May, 15:00 BST | Huntington Stadium | Ronnie Laughton | 451 |
| Source: |||||||||

#### Quarter-final

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| Swinton Lions | 14 – 36 | Doncaster | 13 June, 19:30 BST | Leigh Sports Village | Chris Leatherbarrow | |
| Sheffield Eagles | 26 – 16 | Dewsbury Rams | 14 June, 20:00 BST | Don Valley Stadium | Matt Thomason | 576 |
| Batley Bulldogs | 30 – 4 | Workington Town | 16 June, 14:00 BST | Loverugbyleague.com Stadium | George Stokes | 671 |
| Leigh Centurions | 34 – 18 | Whitehaven | 16 June, 15:00 BST | Leigh Sports Village | Jamie Leahy | 1,320 |
| Source: |||||||||

#### Semi-final

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| Leigh Centurions | 23 – 6 | Batley Bulldogs | 27 June, 19:30 BST | Leigh Sports Village | Jamie Leahy | 1,807 |
| Doncaster | 10 – 32 | Sheffield Eagles | 28 June, 20:00 BST | Doncaster Athletics Stadium | Chris Leatherbarrow | 611 |
| Source: |||||||||

#### Finals

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Attendance |
| Northern Rail Cup ||||||||
| Leigh Centurions | 43 – 28 | Sheffield Eagles | 20 July, 17:00 BST | The Shay, Halifax | Chris Leatherbarrow | 4,179 |
| Northern Rail Bowl ||||||||
| North Wales Crusaders | 42 – 24 | London Skolars | 20 July, 14:30 BST | The Shay, Halifax | Joe Cobb | 2,000 |
| Source: |||||||||