The 2011 Challenge Cup (also known as the Carnegie Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 110th staging of the most competitive European rugby league tournament at club level and was open to teams from England, Wales, Scotland, France and Russia. It began its preliminary stages in January 2011. The
Challenge Cup is
Warrington Wolves
The Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league club based in Warrington, England, that competes in the Super League. They play rugby at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2004.
Founded as Warrington ...
were the reigning champions, but lost 24 - 44 at home to the
Wigan Warriors
The Wigan Warriors are a professional rugby league club in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the Super League.
Formed in 1872 as Wigan Football Club, Wigan was a founding member of the Northern Rugby Football Union followin ...
in the quarter finals, who went on to win the title after beating
Leeds Rhinos
The Leeds Rhinos are a professional rugby league club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The club was formed in 1870 as Leeds St John's and play in the Super League, the top tier of English rugby league. They have played home matches at Headin ...
28 - 18 in the final.
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league in England, and until 1995 for the whole British Isles. The name Rugby Football League previously also referred to the main league competition run by the organisati ...
chief executive Nigel Wood reported that in 2011 Challenge Cup viewing figures on BBC Television had increased by 21.3 per cent compared to 2010 and are 26.8 per cent higher than they were in 2009.
Preliminary round
The draws for the Preliminary and First Round was made on 7 December 2010. Ties were played on 8–10 January with some ties played on 15–16 January.
Pool A
Pool B
Round 1
First Round played weekend of 22 January with some ties played weekend of 29 January and 5 February. The match between
Kells and
Bradford Dudley Hill
Bradford Dudley Hill Rugby League Club is an English rugby league team based in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Originally formed after the First World War, the club was re-established in 1948, and since 2006 has played in the National Conference ...
took place on 12 February.
Pool A
Pool B
Round 2
The draw for the Second Round was made on 24 January. Ties played weekend of 5 February with some ties played weekend of 12 February. The match between
Fryston Warriors and
Bradford Dudley Hill
Bradford Dudley Hill Rugby League Club is an English rugby league team based in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Originally formed after the First World War, the club was re-established in 1948, and since 2006 has played in the National Conference ...
took place on 19 February.
Pool A
Pool B
Round 3
Third Round draw was made on 15 February. Ties were played on weekend of 5 March.
Round 4
Fourth Round draw was made on 20 March. Ties were played on weekend of 7 May.
Round 5
Quarter finals
Semi finals
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Final
![Wembley Stadium (49789469466)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Wembley_Stadium_%2849789469466%29.jpg)
The two sides with the most Challenge Cup Final appearances had only met twice before, Wigan winning both times (
1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nelson ...
and
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake str ...
). Leeds had played in the previous year's Challenge Cup final loss, but it was the Wigan's Warriors' first visit to the new Wembley Stadium.
Abide with me was sung by
Rhydian Roberts
Rhydian James Roberts (born 14 February 1983), also known mononymously as Rhydian, is a Welsh baritone singer, television presenter and musical theatre actor. He made his name by finishing second in series 4 of ''The X Factor'', and has since ...
.
The game was broadcast by
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
. The
, overseeing his first Challenge Cup final, blew time on and Leeds's captain Kevin Sinfield kicked off.
...