The 2010 Challenge Cup Final was the 109th cup-deciding game of the rugby league 2010 Challenge Cup Season. It was held at Wembley Stadium in London on 28 August 2010, kick off 14:30. The final was contested by the Leeds Rhinos and the Warrington Wolves. The game saw Warrington beat Leeds by 30 points to 6.
Route to the final Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos were drawn Super League side Hull F.C. in the fourth round, winning the match and progressing to beat third-tier side Blackpool Panthers in what would be their final year of existence. The quarter finals saw the Rhinos beat eventual league champions who they had previously lost to both times in the league. The semi-finals also saw Leeds beat St Helens who came second in this season's league.
RoundOppositionScore4th Hull F.C. (A)48–245th Blackpool Panthers (H)70–22QF Wigan Warriors (H)12–20SF St Helens (N)32–28
Warrington Wolves Warrington Wolves were drawn Championship side Featherstone Rovers in the fourth round, progressing to thrash Huddersfield Giants in the fifth round. Warrington faced Bradford Bulls in the quarter finals, winning by four points, before another comfortable victory over bottom of the league Catalans Dragons.
RoundOppositionScore4th Featherstone Rovers (A)48–245th Huddersfield Giants (A)60–4QF Bradford Bulls (A)26–22SF Catalans Dragons (N)54–12
Pre-match This game marked the second time these sides had faced each other in the Challenge Cup Final after the 1935–36 edition where Leeds Rhinos won 18–2. At 12:35 the Schools Champions Final between Dowdales School in Dalton-in-Furness and Temple Moor High School in Leeds would occur before the main event. English singer Camilla Kerslake would also perform before the final, having previously performed at the League Cup Final earlier in the year. She sang her own music as well as The National Anthem and Abide with Me, the official anthem of the Challenge Cup and FA Cup Final.
Match details
Leeds Rhinos Posit.Warrington Wolves1 Brent WebbFBFB 1 Richard Mathers28 Lee SmithCELW5 Chris Hicks3 Brett DelaneyCERC3 Matt King4 Keith SeniorCEC23 Ryan Atkins5 Ryan HallWGRW2 Chris Riley6 Danny McGuireWGSO6 Lee Briers7 Rob BurrowSHHK9 Michael Monaghan12 Ali Lauiti'itiSRPR8 Adrian Morley (c)9 Danny BuderusHKHK15 Jon Clarke16 Ryan BaileyPRPR10 Garreth Carvell21 Chris ClarksonSRSR11 Louis Anderson11 Jamie Jones-BuchananSRSR12 Ben Westwood13 Kevin Sinfield (c)LFLF13 Ben Harrison14 Matt DiskinInt.16 Paul Wood15 Greg EastwoodInt.26 David Solomona17 Ian KirkeInt.14 Mickey Higham18 Carl AblettInt.27 Vinnie AndersonBrian McClennanCoachTony Smith
Post match
Following the match, the RFL announced the game was the first sell out Challenge Cup Final since it return to the new Wembley Stadium following the stadium completion in 2007.
References