# 1980–81 Challenge Cup

The 1980–81 Challenge Cup was the 80th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. Known as the Three Fives Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, the final was contested by Widnes and Hull Kingston Rovers at Wembley, with Widnes winning 18–9.

## First round

| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 1 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 18–13 | Barrow | 8,220 |
| 2 | Batley | 7–15 | Keighley | 1,714 |
| 3 | Blackpool Borough | 2–11 | Oldham | 2,837 |
| 4 | Bramley | 5–18 | Warrington | 3,350 |
| 5 | Castleford | 42–7 | Huyton | 3,020 |
| 6 | Dewsbury | 15–10 | Hunslet | 1,777 |
| 7 | Fulham | 5–9 | Wakefield Trinity | 15,013 |
| 8 | Halifax | 3–2 | Wigan | 8,360 |
| 9 | Huddersfield | 8–10 | St. Helens | 3,094 |
| 10 | Hull | 14–5 | Leeds | 15,119 |
| 11 | Leigh | 20–6 | Whitehaven | 5,139 |
| 12 | Pilkington Recs | 7–18 | York | |
| 13 | Salford | 17–13 | Bradford Northern | 5,371 |
| 14 | Swinton | 8–10 | Featherstone Rovers | 2,987 |
| 15 | Widnes | 50–0 | Doncaster | 4,563 |
| 16 | Workington Town | 17–8 | Rochdale Hornets | 2,459 |

## Second round

| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 1 | St. Helens | 5–3 | Hull | 8,263 |
| 2 | Featherstone Rovers | 10–7 | Keighley | 3,126 |
| 3 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 23–7 | York | 13,764 |
| 4 | Oldham | 18–7 | Workington Town | 4,350 |
| 5 | Salford | 12–3 | Leigh | 8,759 |
| 6 | Wakefield Trinity | 18–8 | Halifax | 9,604 |
| 7 | Widnes | 7–5 | Castleford | 7,436 |
| 8 | Dewsbury | 10–18 | Warrington | 5,200 |

## Third round

| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
| 1 | Warrington | 13–9 | Wakefield Trinity | 7,587 |
| 2 | Featherstone Rovers | 5–21 | Widnes | 7,620 |
| 3 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 19–8 | Salford | 14,315 |
| 4 | Oldham | 5–6 | St. Helens | 8,712 |

## Semi final

* 28 March 1981
| Warrington | 9 – 17 | Widnes |
| Try: Bevan Goal: Hesford (3) | Report | Try: Burke, Cunningham, Wright Goal: Burke (4) |
* Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 12,624 Referee: John Holdsworth (Leeds)
* 4 April 1981
| Hull Kingston Rovers | 22 – 5 | St. Helens |
| Try: Hogan, Hartley (2), Muscroft Goal: Hubbard (5) | Report | Try: Pinner Goal: Griffiths |
* Headingley, Leeds Attendance: 17,073 Referee: Ron Campbell (Widnes)

## Final

Hull Kingston Rovers returned to Wembley as defending champions, having won the Challenge Cup for the first time in their history in the previous year. Widnes won the match 18–9, with Widnes full-back Mick Burke being awarded the Lance Todd Trophy.
* 2 May 1981
| Widnes | 18 – 9 | Hull Kingston Rovers |
| Try: Burke, George, Gregory Goal: Burke (4) Drop goal: Adams | Report | Try: Burton Goal: Hubbard (3) |
* Wembley, London Attendance: 92,496 Referee: Gerry Kershaw (Easingwold) Player of the Match: Mick Burke
| FB | 1 | Mick Burke |
| RW | 2 | Stuart Wright |
| RC | 3 | Mick George |
| LC | 4 | Eddie Cunningham |
| LW | 5 | Keith Bentley |
| SO | 6 | Eric Hughes |
| SH | 7 | Andy Gregory |
| PR | 8 | Mike O'Neill |
| HK | 9 | Keith Elwell |
| PR | 10 | Brian Lockwood |
| SR | 11 | Les Gorley |
| SR | 12 | Eric Prescott |
| LF | 13 | Mick Adams (c) |
| Substitutions: ||
| IC | 14 | John Myler |
| IC | 15 | Glyn Shaw |
| Coach: ||
| Doug Laughton ||
| FB | 1 | David Hall |
| RW | 2 | Steve Hubbard |
| RC | 3 | Mike Smith |
| LC | 4 | Phil Hogan |
| LW | 5 | Peter Muscroft |
| SO | 6 | Steve Hartley |
| SH | 7 | Paul Harkin |
| PR | 8 | Roy Holdstock |
| HK | 9 | David Watkinson |
| PR | 10 | Steve Crooks |
| SR | 11 | Phil Lowe |
| SR | 12 | Chris Burton |
| LF | 13 | Len Casey (c) |
| Substitutions: ||
| IC | 14 | Paul Proctor |
| IC | 15 | John Millington |
| Coach: ||
| Roger Millward ||