# 1981–82 Challenge Cup

The 1981–82 Challenge Cup was the 81st staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. Known as the State Express Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, the final was contested by Widnes and Hull F.C. at Wembley. The match ended as a draw, resulting in a replay being staged at Elland Road, which Hull won 18–9.

## Preliminary round

| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 1 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 22–18 | Featherstone Rovers | 8,090 |

## First round

| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 1 | St. Helens | 12–20 | Wigan | 7,611 |
| 2 | Workington Town | 32–8 | Blackpool Borough | 1,410 |
| 3 | Batley | 23–15 | Huyton | 908 |
| 4 | Bradford Northern | 14–12 | Dewsbury | 4,176 |
| 5 | Bramley | 4–16 | Wakefield Trinity | 3,180 |
| 6 | Cardiff City | 8–19 | Widnes | 6,484 |
| 7 | Carlisle | 2–17 | Castleford | 5,452 |
| 8 | Doncaster | 6–7 | Rochdale Hornets | 736 |
| 9 | Fulham | 14–4 | Hunslet | 3,392 |
| 10 | Halifax | 17–12 | Huddersfield | 3,991 |
| 11 | Hull | 29–15 | Salford | 13,697 |
| 12 | Keighley | 6–12 | Barrow | 4,015 |
| 13 | Leigh | 28–17 | Warrington | 10,366 |
| 14 | Swinton | 5–15 | Oldham | 4,095 |
| 15 | Whitehaven | 7–17 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 3,965 |
| 16 | York | 6–34 | Leeds | 6,862 |

## Second round

| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 1 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 17–18 | Leigh | 12,034 |
| 2 | Barrow | 1–9 | Leeds | 9,677 |
| 3 | Batley | 6–31 | Castleford | 3,754 |
| 4 | Bradford Northern | 17–8 | Workington Town | 5,134 |
| 5 | Fulham | 5–11 | Hull | 9,481 |
| 6 | Halifax | 28–7 | Rochdale Hornets | 3,919 |
| 7 | Wakefield Trinity | 18–12 | Oldham | 6,567 |
| 8 | Wigan | 7–9 | Widnes | 17,467 |

## Third round

| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 1 | Bradford Northern | 8–8 | Widnes | 9,570 |
| replay | Widnes | 10–7 | Bradford Northern | 11,877 |
| 2 | Hull | 16–10 | Halifax | 16,555 |
| 3 | Leigh | 3–8 | Castleford | 11,791 |
| 4 | Wakefield Trinity | 2–20 | Leeds | 10,579 |

## Semi finals

* 27 March 1982
| Hull | 15 – 11 | Castleford |
| Try: Kemble, Norton, O'Hara, Prendiville Goal: Crooks Drop goal: Topliss | Report | Try: Reilly Goal: Hyde (4) |
* Headingley, Leeds Attendance: 21,207 Referee: Billy Thompson (Huddersfield)
* 3 April 1982
| Widnes | 11 – 8 | Leeds |
| Try: Basnett (2), O'Loughlin Goal: J. Myler | Report | Try: Dyl, Heron Goal: Dick |
* Station Road, Swinton Attendance: 13,075 Referee: Fred Lindop (Wakefield)

## Final

Widnes returned to Wembley as defending champions, having won the Challenge Cup for the sixth time in their history in the previous year.
* 1 May 1982
| Hull | 14 – 14 | Widnes |
| Try: Norton, O'Hara Goal: Lloyd (4) | Report | Try: Cunningham (2), Wright Goal: Burke, Gregory Drop goal: Elwell |
* Wembley, London Attendance: 92,147 Referee: Fred Lindop (Wakefield) Player of the Match: Eddie Cunningham
Widnes led by eight points with 15 minutes of the game remaining, but Hull F.C. came back to draw the match 14–14, meaning the final would be replayed for the first time since 1954.

### Replay

* 19 May 1982
| Hull | 18 – 9 | Widnes |
| Try: Kemble, Topliss (2), Crooks Goal: Crooks (3) | Report | Try: Wright Goal: Burke (3) |
* Elland Road, Leeds Attendance: 41,171 Referee: Fred Lindop (Wakefield) Player of the Match: David Topliss