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.

1981–82 State Express Challenge Cup

Duration	6 Rounds
Number of teams	33
Winners	Hull
Runners-up	Widnes
Lance Todd Trophy	Eddie Cunningham
← 1980–81 1982–83 →

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

Hull	15 – 11	Castleford
Try: Kemble, Norton, O'Hara, Prendiville Goal: Crooks Drop goal: Topliss	Report	Try: Reilly Goal: Hyde (4)

27 March 1982

Headingley, Leeds Attendance: 21,207 Referee: Billy Thompson (Huddersfield)[1]

Widnes	11 – 8	Leeds
Try: Basnett (2), O'Loughlin Goal: J. Myler	Report	Try: Dyl, Heron Goal: Dick

3 April 1982

Station Road, Swinton Attendance: 13,075 Referee: Fred Lindop (Wakefield)[2]

Final

Widnes returned to Wembley as defending champions, having won the Challenge Cup for the sixth time in their history in the previous year.

Hull	14 – 14	Widnes
Try: Norton, O'Hara Goal: Lloyd (4)	Report	Try: Cunningham (2), Wright Goal: Burke, Gregory Drop goal: Elwell

1 May 1982

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.^[3]

Replay

Hull	18 – 9	Widnes
Try: Kemble, Topliss (2), Crooks Goal: Crooks (3)	Report	Try: Wright Goal: Burke (3)

19 May 1982

Elland Road, Leeds Attendance: 41,171 Referee: Fred Lindop (Wakefield) Player of the Match: David Topliss[4]