# 1997 Challenge Cup

The 1997 Challenge Cup, known as the Silk Cut Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 96th staging of the Challenge Cup, a European rugby league cup competition.
The competition ended with the final on 3 May 1997, which was played at Wembley Stadium.
The trophy was won and successfully defended by St. Helens, who beat Bradford Bulls 32–22 in the final. The Lance Todd Trophy was won by Tommy Martyn.

## First round

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 21 Dec | Askam | Thatto Heath | 18-23 |
| 21 Dec | Barrow Island | Waterhead | 18-8 |
| 21 Dec | Beverley | Embassy | 18-12 |
| 21 Dec | Blackbrook | Kells | 26-20 |
| 21 Dec | Blackpool | Haydock | 4-34 |
| 21 Dec | Dewsbury Moor | Upton & Frickley | 16-0 |
| 21 Dec | Dudley Hill | Park Amateurs | 44-6 |
| 21 Dec | East Leeds | Kingston Comm | 29-20 |
| 21 Dec | Eastmoor | Worth Village | 26-0 |
| 21 Dec | Egremont | Folly Lane | 32-14 |
| 21 Dec | Featherstone Amateurs | West Bowling | 10-15 |
| 21 Dec | Hemel Hempstead | Leeds University | 12-26 |
| 21 Dec | Heworth | RL Student Old Boys | 24-8 |
| 21 Dec | Hull Dockers | Bisons | 32-5 |
| 21 Dec | Leigh East | Keighley Albion | 12-14 |
| 21 Dec | Leigh Miners Rangers | Farnworth | 23-16 |
| 21 Dec | Lock Lane | Stanningley | 15-6 |
| 21 Dec | Milford | Norland | 20-34 |
| 21 Dec | Millom* | Higginshaw | Walkover* |
| 21 Dec | Moldgreen* | Durham University | Walkover* |
| 21 Dec | Normanton | Clayton | 8-8 |
| 21 Dec | Oldham St Annes | Siddal | 12-16 |
| 21 Dec | Oulton | Ideal ABI | 26-4 |
| 21 Dec | Ovenden | Hensingham | 26-14 |
| 21 Dec | Redhill | London Colonials | 33-12 |
| 21 Dec | Skirlaugh | Queens | 21-10 |
| 21 Dec | Thornhill | New Earswick | 40-14 |
| 21 Dec | Walney | Westfield Hotel | 34-10 |
| 21 Dec | West Hull | East Hull | 34-9 |
| 21 Dec | Wigan St Patrick's | Simms Cross | 27-4 |
| 21 Dec | Woolston Rovers | Gateshead P | 82-4 |
| 21 Dec | York Acorn | Fryston | 22-12 |
| 28 Dec | Shaw Cross | BRK (Leeds) | 2-15 |
| 04 Jan | Clayton | Normanton | REPLAY 26-6 |
| 09 Jan | Wigan St Judes | Wigan Rose Bridge | 14-24 |
| 12 Jan | Mayfield | Eccles | 14-12 |
| 15 Jan | Saddleworth | Ellenborough | 36-0 |

## Second round

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 11 Jan | Clayton | Saddleworth | 16-2 |
| 11 Jan | Hull Dockers | Eastmoor | 28-0 |
| 11 Jan | Leeds University | Thatto Heath | 24-26 |
| 11 Jan | Lock Lane | Heworth | 18-10 |
| 11 Jan | Milford | East Leeds | 12-13 |
| 11 Jan | Moldgreen | Thornhill | 12-6 |
| 11 Jan | Oulton | West Bowling | 14-10 |
| 11 Jan | Ovenden | Barrow Island | 18-16 |
| 11 Jan | Redhill | Wigan Rose Bridge | 24-17 |
| 11 Jan | Siddal | Beverley | 36-0 |
| 11 Jan | Skirlaugh | Leigh Miners Rangers | 34-12 |
| 11 Jan | Walney | Millom | 17-10 |
| 11 Jan | West Hull | Haydock | 32-0 |
| 11 Jan | Wigan St Patrick's | Blackbrook | 36-18 |
| 11 Jan | Woolston | Keighley Albion | 26-6 |
| 14 Jan | Dudley Hill | Dewsbury Moor | 40-2 |
| 18 Jan | BRK (Leeds) | Egremont | 39-6 |
| 18 Jan | York Acorn | Mayfield | 7-20 |

## Third round

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 24 Jan | Dewsbury Rams | West Hull | 44-18 |
| 25 Jan | Lancashire Lynx | Hull Dockers | 24-4 |
| 26 Jan | Barrow Braves | Siddal (Halifax) | 16-8 |
| 26 Jan | Batley Bulldogs | Prescot Panthers | 48-12 |
| 26 Jan | Carlisle Border Raiders | BRK (Leeds) | 34-8 |
| 26 Jan | Doncaster Dragons | Oulton (Castleford) | 15-14 |
| 26 Jan | Featherstone Rovers | Moldgreen (Huddersfield) | 48-14 |
| 26 Jan | Huddersfield Giants | East Leeds | 82-0 |
| 26 Jan | Hull Kingston Rovers | Mayfield (Rochdale) | 44-4 |
| 26 Jan | Hull Sharks | Lock Lane (Castleford) | 42-0 |
| 26 Jan | Hunslet Hawks | Woolston Rovers (Warrington) | 54-6 |
| 26 Jan | Keighley Cougars | Redhill (Castleford) | 62-4 |
| 26 Jan | Leigh Centurions | Wigan St Patrick's | 68-10 |
| 26 Jan | Rochdale Hornets | Walney Island (Barrow) | 30-6 |
| 26 Jan | Swinton Lions | Bramley | 46-0 |
| 26 Jan | Wakefield Trinity | Ovenden (Halifax) | 52-0 |
| 26 Jan | Whitehaven Warriors | Skirlaugh (East Yorkshire) | 12-6 |
| 26 Jan | Widnes Vikings | Clayton (Bradford) | 56-2 |
| 26 Jan | Workington Town | Thatto Heath (St Helens) | 86-0 |
| 26 Jan | York | Dudley Hill (Bradford) | 14-21 |

## Fourth round

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 07 Feb | Dewsbury Rams | Doncaster Dragons | 26-15 |
| 08 Feb | St Helens | Wigan Warriors | 26-12 |
| 09 Feb | Batley Bulldogs | Paris St Germain | 4-38 |
| 09 Feb | Carlisle Border Raiders | Dudley Hill | 62-2 |
| 09 Feb | Castleford Tigers | Salford Reds | 18-36 |
| 09 Feb | Featherstone Rovers | Widnes Vikings | 14-12 |
| 09 Feb | Huddersfield Giants | Hull Sharks | 16-16 |
| 09 Feb | Hull Kingston Rovers | Halifax Blue Sox | 16-20 |
| 09 Feb | Hunslet Hawks | Bradford Bulls | 10-62 |
| 09 Feb | Lancashire Lynx | London Broncos | 5-48 |
| 09 Feb | Leigh Centurions | Sheffield Eagles | 18-62 |
| 09 Feb | Oldham | Rochdale Hornets | 48-6 |
| 09 Feb | Wakefield Trinity | Swinton Lions | 9-4 |
| 09 Feb | Warrington Wolves | Barrow Braves | 66-6 |
| 09 Feb | Whitehaven Warriors | Leeds Rhinos | 8-48 |
| 09 Feb | Workington Town | Keighley Cougars | 14-24 |
| 12 Feb | Hull Sharks | Huddersfield Giants | 24-14 |

## Fifth round

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 22 Feb | Wakefield Trinity | Oldham Bears | 14-22 |
| 22 Feb | London Broncos | Bradford Bulls | 12-34 |
| 23 Feb | Warrington Wolves | Sheffield Eagles | 31-18 |
| 23 Feb | Halifax Blue Sox | Keighley Cougars | 8-21 |
| 23 Feb | Leeds Rhinos | Dewsbury Rams | 48-22 |
| 23 Feb | Salford Reds | Paris Saint-Germain | 8-4 |
| 23 Feb | St Helens | Hull Sharks | 54-8 |
| 23 Feb | Carlisle Border Raiders | Featherstone Rovers | 20-32 |

## Quarter-finals

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 08 Mar | Oldham Bears | Bradford Bulls | 12-38 |
| 09 Mar | Warrington Wolves | Salford Reds | 10-29 |
| 09 Mar | Keighley Cougars | St Helens | 0-24 |
| 09 Mar | Leeds Rhinos | Featherstone Rovers | 32-12 |

## Semi-finals

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 22 Mar | St Helens | Salford Reds | 50-20 |
| 29 Mar | Bradford Bulls | Leeds Rhinos | 24-10 |

## Final

* 3 May 1997
| St. Helens | 32 – 22 | Bradford Bulls |
| Tries: Martyn (2), Hammond, Joynt, Sullivan Goals: Goulding (6) | Report | Tries: Loughlin, Lowes, Peacock, Tomlinson Goals: McNamara (3) |
* Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 78,022 Referee: Stuart Cummings

### Teams

St Helens: Steve Prescott, Danny Arnold, Andy Haigh, Paul Newlove, Anthony Sullivan, Tommy Martyn, Bobbie Goulding, Apollo Perelini, Keiron Cunningham, Julian O'Neill, Chris Joynt, Derek McVey, Karle Hammond
Subs: Vila Matautia, Chris Morley, Andy Northey, Ian Pickavance Coach: Shaun McRae
Bradford: Stuart Spruce, Abi Ekoku, Danny Peacock, Paul Loughlin, Paul Cook, Graeme Bradley, Robbie Paul, Brian McDermott, James Lowes, Tahi Reihana, Sonny Nickle, Bernard Dwyer, Steve McNamara Subs: Glen Tomlinson, Paul Medley, Simon Knox, Matt Calland Coach: Matthew Elliott