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.

1980–81 Three Fives Challenge Cup

Duration	5 Rounds
Number of teams	32
Winners	Widnes
Runners-up	Hull Kingston Rovers
Lance Todd Trophy	Mick Burke
← 1979–80 1981–82 →

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)[1] 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