The 1897 Challenge Cup was the inaugural staging of the Northern Rugby Football Union's Challenge Cup and involved 52 clubs from across England from the 1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season. The tournament was played over six rounds in March and April 1897, culminating in the final which was won by Batley.

Background

The Northern Union decided to hold a cup competition called the Northern Rugby Football Union Challenge Cup in July 1896. The cup was commissioned from Bradford silversmiths and jewellers, Fattorini and Sons. Fattorini's designed the trophy themselves and it cost the Northern Union £60.

Draw The draw for the competition was made on 3 September 1896 although the matches were not due to be played until March and April 1897 over six consecutive weekends commencing 20 March 1897. All rounds were drawn at the same time with matches in the second and subsequent rounds given an identification letter such that ties for later rounds were expressed as, for example, "Q. Winner of Round C. v. winner of Round N."

The team drawn first had the option to play at home or could agree to play at the opponent's ground. The semi-finals and final were to be played at neutral venues.

First round The first round involved 20 matches and 40 clubs. 12 clubs (Batley, Bradford Church Hill, Brighouse Rangers, Crompton, Heckmondwike, Liversedge, St Helens Recs, Stockport, Swinton Church, Thornton Rangers, Tyldesley and Werneth) were given a bye to the next round.

All 20 ties were played on 20 March 1897. HomeScoreAwayBradford7–3OldhamBramley8–8MorecambeBroughton Rangers0–0WarringtonCastleford43–3AllertonEastmoor26–8Oldham JuniorsHalifax55–5Stockport RangersHolbeck38–3Latchford RangersHull9–0WalkdenHunslet75–5Broughton RecreationLeeds11–0Rochdale St ClementsLeeds Parish Church42–0Runcorn RecreationLeigh0–0Wakefield TrinityManningham31–3DukinfieldRochdale Hornets11–0Waterhead HornetsRuncorn65–0Warrington LocoSt Helens66–0 LeesWarrington St Mary's0–28SalfordSwinton12–4HuddersfieldWidnes55–0Atherton HornetsWigan3–0Radcliffe Source:

First round replays The three games requiring replays were all played on Wednesday 24 March

HomeScoreAwayBramley6–4MorecambeWarrington3–0Broughton RangersWakefield Trinity13–4Leigh Source:

Second round The second round of 16 ties was played on Saturday 27 March 1897.

Game noHomeScoreAwayALiversedge9–4HeckmondwikeBSt Helens17–3CastlefordCBramley0–11BatleyDWigan7–0ManninghamEWidnes11–0HullFTyldesley9–3LeedsGRochdale Hornets8–0St Helens RecsHThornton Rangers4–52RuncornISwinton15–0HunsletJWarrington24–0HolbeckKLeeds Parish Church0–11HalifaxLBradford68–3Swinton ChurchMEastmoor3–3StockportNBrighouse Rangers13–4Wakefield TrinityOSalford30–0WernethPCrompton26–0Bradford Church Hill Source:

Second round replay Stockport and Eastmoor replayed the tie on Wednesday 31 March. Game noHomeScoreAwayMStockport28–8Eastmoor Source:

Third round The third round of eight games was played on Saturday 3 April.

Game noDrawn asHomeScoreAwayQC v NBatley6–3Brighouse RangersRG v IRochdale Hornets3–3SwintonSJ v AWarrington6–0LiversedgeTM v OStockport8–0SalfordUL v FBradford4–8TyldesleyVP v KHalifax50–0CromptonWE v HWidnes14–6RuncornXB v DSt Helens11–0Wigan Source:

Third round replay Swinton and Rochdale replayed the drawn game on Wednesday 7 April. Game noDrawn asHomeScoreAwayRG v ISwinton10–0Rochdale Hornets Source:

Fourth round The quarter finals were played on Saturday 10 April 1897. Game noDrawn asHomeScoreAwayAAS v VWarrington10–8HalifaxBBQ v WBatley10–0WidnesCCR v TSwinton3–0StockportDDX v USt Helens12–0Tyldesley Source:

Semi-finals The semi-finals were scheduled for Saturday 17 April. However, due to a waterlogged pitch, the tie between St. Helens and Swinton, due to be played at Broughton Rangers ground - Wheater's Field - was postponed until Monday 19 April. The game between Batley and Warrington, played at Fartown, Huddersfield did go ahead on a very soft pitch.

After the game Warrington lodged a protest over the result, claiming that the game should have been postponed due to the state of the pitch and that the game having gone ahead, the referee allowed the game to end six minutes short. Both grounds of protest were dismissed by the Northern Union Committee.

The rearranged game between St Helens and Swinton was played on Easter Monday, 19 April, watched by a crowd of 20,000 taking advantage of the bank holiday to attend.

Final

The final took place on 24 April 1897 at Headingley, Leeds. The official attendance was 13,492, with gate receipts of £624.17s.7d. Batley wore white shirts and black shorts and socks in place of their normal cerise and fawn colours. St Helens wore blue and white hooped shirts, white shorts and black socks.

St Helens won the toss and elected to have Batley kick off. Despite playing into the wind in the first half, Batley took the lead after five minutes when Joe Oakland, kicked a drop goal to give Batley a 4–0 advantage. Batley extended their lead to 7–0 when John Goodall scored the first try of the game. These were the only scores of the first half. Early in the second half St Helens scored a try when centre David Traynor took the ball on the halfway line and beat four Batley players before touching down. The St Helens fightback did not last long as Batley flanker John T. 'Paudy' Munns scored Batley's second try to make the score 10–3 which remained the score at the final whistle.

After the game the cup was presented by Mrs Louisa Waller, the wife of the president of the Northern Union, Henry Hirst Waller. Mrs Waller presented the Batley players with commemorative gold medals and the St Helens players with silver medals.

Squads BatleyNumberSt Helens Name Height Weight Age Name Height Weight Age Fullback Arthur Garner 26 1 Tom Foulkes (c) 25 Three-quarter backs Wattie Davies 23 2 Bob Doherty 28 Dai Fitzgerald 24 3 David Traynor 22 John Goodall (c) 22 4 Jim Barnes 21 Ike Shaw 29 5 Billy Jacques 22 Half-backs Joe Oakland 21 6 Richard O'Hara 21 Harry Goodall 23 7 Freddie Little 26 Forwards Mark Shackleton 27 8 Tom Winstanley 26 Jim Gath 21 9 Billy Briers 22 George Main 21 10 William Winstanley 28 Robert Spurr 23 11 Tom Reynolds 27 Fred Fisher 24 12 Joe Thompson 24 Charlie Stubley 27 13 Peter Dale 25 Jim Littlewood 23 14 Sam Rimmer 27 John Munns 22 15 Bill Whiteley 25 Source:

References

External links Report: The 1897 Challenge Cup Final: Rugby Football League, 25 May 2022