The 1997 Challenge Cup, known as the

Silk Cut Silk Cut is a British brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Gallaher Group, a division of Japan Tobacco. The packaging is characterised by a distinctive stark white packet with the brand name in a purple, blue, red, silver, wh ...

Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 96th staging of the

Challenge Cup The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...

, a European

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

cup competition. The competition ended with the final on 3 May 1997, which was played at

Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...

. The trophy was won and successfully defended by St. Helens, who beat

Bradford Bulls The Bradford Bulls are a professional rugby league club in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, playing in the Championship. They have won five Challenge Cups, six league championships and three World Club Challenges. The team jersey is predom ...

32–22 in the final. The

Lance Todd Trophy The Lance Todd Trophy is a trophy in rugby league, awarded to the annual Challenge Cup Final's man of the match. Introduced in 1945–46, the trophy was named in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in ...

was won by

Tommy Martyn Thomas Martyn (born 4 June 1971) is a former Ireland international rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, and coached in the 2000s. He played at representative level for Ireland, and at club level for Oldham ( Herita ...

First round

Second round

Third round

Fourth round

Fifth round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Teams

St Helens:

Steve Prescott Stephen Prescott (26 December 1973 – 9 November 2013) was a professional rugby league footballer who played as a in the 1990s and 2000s. Prescott made his début for St Helens in 1993, and soon established himself as the club's first choi ...

Danny Arnold Danny Arnold (born Arnold Rothmann; January 23, 1925 – August 19, 1995) was an American producer, writer, comedian, actor and director known for producing ''Barney Miller'', ''That Girl'', and ''Bewitched''. Early life Born in New York City, ...

, Andy Haigh,

Paul Newlove Paul Newlove (born 10 August 1971) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain and England international representative, he competed in the Super League competition, featur ...

, Anthony Sullivan,

Bobbie Goulding Robert Dennis "Bobbie" Goulding (born 4 February 1972), also known by the nickname of "Bobbie Dazzler", is an English former professional rugby league footballer, and coach, who played in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, and has coached in t ...

Apollo Perelini Apollo Perelini (born 16 July 1969) is a former dual-code international rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, and has coached in the 2000s and 2010s. He played representative rugby union (RU) for New Zeal ...

Keiron Cunningham Keiron Cunningham (born 28 October 1976) is a professional rugby league coach and former player. A Great Britain and Wales international representative , he played his entire professional career at St Helens, making nearly 500 appearances for ...

Julian O'Neill Brian Julian O'Neill (born 14 October 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. Primarily a goal-kicking or and goal-kicker, during his 14-year top-grade career he played with sever ...

Chris Joynt Christopher Michael Joynt (born 7 December 1971) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. Not to be confused with the American cannabis activist with the same name. A Great Britain international repres ...

, Derek McVey,

Karle Hammond Karle Hammond (born 25 April 1974) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Widnes (two spells), and in the ...

Subs: Vila Matautia,

Chris Morley Christopher Morley (born 22 September 1973) is a former Wales international rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played as a or at club level for St Helens ( Heritage No. 1048), Warrington, Salford, Sheffield Eagles ...

, Andy Northey, Ian Pickavance Coach:

Shaun McRae Shaun McRae (born 21 December 1959) is a rugby league coach, who is a former director of rugby at Hull F.C. after a spell with the Salford City Reds. Career Shaun McRae, nicknamed 'Bomber', was born in 1959 and began his rugby league coaching ...

Bradford: Stuart Spruce, Abi Ekoku,

Danny Peacock Danny Peacock is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He has played for the Western Suburbs Magpies, South Queensland Crushers, Gold Coast Seagulls and Bradford Bulls as a , or . Playing career Western Suburbs In the tri ...

Paul Loughlin Paul John Loughlin (born 28 July 1966) is an English former rugby league who played for his hometown team St. Helens, the Bradford Bulls, the Huddersfield Giants and the Swinton Lions. Loughlin was born in St. Helens, Lancashire, England. H ...

Paul Cook Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He was also called "Cookie" by his friends on the punk music scene. Early life and career Cook was raised in Hammersmith and atte ...

Graeme Bradley Graeme Bradley (born 20 March 1964) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. Playing career He played for the Illawarra Steelers, Penrith Panthers and the St. George Dragons in the New Sou ...

Robbie Paul Robert Rawiri Hunter-Paul (born 3 February 1976) is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer. He has since become a business owner and television pundit, runninXtra Mile Marketing an inbound and digital marketing company. Robbie retired fr ...

, Brian McDermott,

James Lowes James Lowes is a former professional rugby league footballer, and coach. He played for Hunslet and Leeds, but arguably his best years were spent with the Bradford Bulls, where he won many trophies. He played there from 1996 to 2003. Club care ...

, Tahi Reihana,

Sonny Nickle Sonny Nickle (born 4 May 1969) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. He played at club level as a or for Hunslet, St Helens, Bradford Bulls, Sheffield Eagles and the Leigh Centuri ...

, Bernard Dwyer,

Steve McNamara Steve McNamara (born 18 September 1971) is an English professional rugby league football coach who is the head coach of the Catalans Dragons in the Betfred Super League and a former professional player. He is a former coach of England, and a Gr ...

Subs: Glen Tomlinson,

Paul Medley Paul Medley (born 21 September 1966) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and at club level for Leeds, Halifax R.L.F.C., Halifax, Bradf ...

Simon Knox Simon Knox (born 14 October 1972) is a former Scotland international rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, and also coached. He played at club level for Hensingham ARLFC (in Hensingham, Whitehaven), Carlisle, Bradford No ...

, Matt Calland Coach: Matthew Elliott

References

External links

Challenge Cup official website
{{1997 in rugby league Challenge Cup

St Helens R.F.C.