2008 Challenge Cup final

The 2008 Challenge Cup Final was the final game of the 2008 Challenge Cup, also known as The Carnegie Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons. The match was contested by two Super League teams: the defending champions St. Helens, and Hull F.C.

2008 (2008) Challenge Cup Final
St. Helens Hull 28 16
1 2 Total STH 10 18 28 HUL 0 16 16
Date	30 August 2008
Stadium	Wembley Stadium
Location	London, United Kingdom
Lance Todd Trophy winner	Paul Wellens
God Save The Queen and Abide with Me	Sabrina Washington
Referee	Steve Ganson
Attendance	82,821
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters	BBC Sport
Commentators	Ray French
Finals ← 2007 2009 →

The final was performed at Wembley Stadium on 30 August 2008, started at 14:30 BST. St Helens won the match 28-16 after a topsy-turvy game, ahead by 10 points at half time, then went 12-10 before roaring back to win by a clear margin.^[1][2]

Route to the final

St Helens

St Helens as a Super League club entered the competition in the fourth round. St Helens started by thrashing National League Two side London Skolars 56-0. In Round 5 St Helens narrowly beat fellow Super League side Warrington Wolves by 40–34. In the quarter finals, St Helens again recorded narrow victory against Hull KR, winning by 24 points to 18. The first semi-final between St Helens and Leeds Rhinos finished 26-16 sending St Helens to the final.

Round	Opposition	Score
4th	London Skolars (H)	56–0
5th	Warrington Wolves (H)	40–34
QF	Hull KR (A)	34–18
SF	Leeds Rhinos (N)	26–16

Hull F.C.

Hull F.C. as Super League club also entered the competition in the fourth round. Hull F.C. started by thrashing National League Two side Rochdale Hornets 42-5. In Round 5 Hull comfortably beat National League One side Widnes. In the quarter finals, Hull recorded a narrow victory against Bradford, winning by 22 to 16. The second semi-final between Hull and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats saw a victory of 32-24 to place Hull into the final.

Round	Opposition	Score
4th	Rochdale Hornets (A)	42–5
5th	Widnes Vikings (A)	32–18
QF	Bradford Bulls (A)	22–16
SF	Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (N)	32–24

Match details

St. Helens	28 v 16	Hull F.C.
Tries: Gidley 8' m Meli 18' c, 65' c Wilkin 71' c Pryce 78' c Goals: Long (4)	Report	Tries: Yeaman 44' c, 63' c Raynor 74' m Goals: Tickle (2)

30 August 2008

Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 82,821 Referee: Steve Ganson Player of the Match: Paul Wellens

Teams:

St Helens: Paul Wellens, Ade Gardner, Matthew Gidley, Willie Talau, Francis Meli, Leon Pryce, Sean Long, Bryn Hargreaves, Keiron Cunningham, James Graham, Chris Flannery, Jon Wilkin, Paul Sculthorpe
Replacements: James Roby, Lee Gilmour, Paul Clough, Maurie Fa'asavalu Coach: Daniel Anderson

Hull: Todd Byrne, Matt Sing, Graeme Horne, Kirk Yeaman, Gareth Raynor, Danny Washbrook, Tommy Lee, Ewan Dowes, Shaun Berrigan, Peter Cusack, Willie Manu, Danny Tickle, Lee Radford (c),
Replacements: Richard Horne, Garreth Carvell, Tom Briscoe, Jamie Thackray Coach: Richard Agar