HUDDERSFIELD CHALLENGE CUP HISTORY

Leigh Leopards will go head-to-head with Hull KR today at Wembley Stadium in the Final. As the match approaches we look at the history that’s been created by the Giants in the Challenge Cup.

Since the competition’s 127-year inception, the Giants have won 6 Challenge Cups along with many great campaigns over the years. This includes last year when the Giants reached the final but narrowly came out runners-up to Wigan Warriors.  However, the Giants have also made history at the final in another way. The Lance Todd trophy is handed out to the man of the match at the Grand Final every year and the oldest and youngest ever trophy winners were both Giants players in Peter Ramsden and Chris McQueen. 

Peter Ramsden played for Huddersfield RLFC between 1951-1964, making 246 appearances for the club and scoring 54 tries. Ramsden played in the 1953 Challenge Cup Final where he famously broke his nose just six minutes into the game but he went on to score two tries leading Huddersfield to their sixth Challenge Cup. This performance also led to him becoming the youngest-ever player to win the Lance Todd Trophy at the age of 19. 

Chris McQueen still continues to make his mark for the Giants having currently made 70 appearances for the club with one of his most successful seasons coming last year scoring 15 tries in the Super League and helping the Giants to reach the Challenge Cup  Final. While the Giants came up short, McQueen put on an incredible performance even scoring a try and was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy at the age of 34 making him the oldest player ever to win the trophy. 

Article written by Louis Castell (University of Huddersfield)