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
Duration5 Rounds
Number of teams32
Winners Widnes
Runners-up Hull Kingston Rovers
Lance Todd Trophy Mick Burke

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]
Man of the Match: Mick Burke
FB1Mick Burke
RW2Stuart Wright
RC3Mick George
LC4Eddie Cunningham
LW5Keith Bentley
SO6Eric Hughes
SH7Andy Gregory
PR8Mike O'Neill
HK9Keith Elwell
PR10Brian Lockwood
SR11Les Gorley
SR12Eric Prescott
LF13Mick Adams (c)
Substitutions:
IC14John Myler
IC15Glyn Shaw
Coach:
Doug Laughton
FB1David Hall
RW2Steve Hubbard
RC3Mike Smith
LC4Phil Hogan
LW5Peter Muscroft
SO6Steve Hartley
SH7Paul Harkin
PR8Roy Holdstock
HK9David Watkinson
PR10Steve Crooks
SR11Phil Lowe
SR12Christopher Burton
LF13Len Casey (c)
Substitutions:
IC14Paul Proctor
IC15John Millington
Coach:
Roger Millward

References
  1. Nicholson, Geoffrey (3 May 1981). "Burke has no peers". The Observer. p. 27. ProQuest 476685224.
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