The 1947–48 Rugby Football League season was the 53rd season of rugby league football.

Season summary Warrington won their first Championship when they beat Bradford Northern 15–5 in the play-off final. Wigan had ended the regular season as the league leaders.

The Challenge Cup Winners were Wigan who beat Bradford Northern 8–3 in the final.

Wigan's 1948 Challenge Cup Final victory over Bradford Northern was the first ever televised Rugby League match and Cup Final – although it was shown in the Midlands only.

Warrington won the Lancashire League, and Bradford Northern won the Yorkshire League. Wigan beat Belle Vue Rangers 10–7 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Wakefield Trinity beat Leeds 7–7 (replay 8–7) to win the Yorkshire County Cup.

Championship TeamPldWDLPts1Wigan363114632Warrington363015613Huddersfield362628544Bradford Northern3626210525Workington Town3622410486Hunslet3621411467Widnes3621114438St. Helens3620214429Leeds36202144210Wakefield Trinity36202144211Salford36201154112Hull36191163913Castleford36191163914Leigh36181173715Dewsbury36172173616Oldham36171183517Belle Vue Rangers36170193418Halifax36160203219Swinton36151203120Keighley36151203121Barrow36142203022Rochdale Hornets36112232423Bramley36120242424Batley36111242325Hull Kingston Rovers36101252126Liverpool Stanley3681271727Featherstone Rovers3660301228York3641319

Play-offs

Final

WarringtonNumberBradford Northern Teams Les Jones1George CarmichaelBrian Bevan2Eric BattenBryn Knowelden3Des CaseAlbert Pimblett4Ernest WardStan Powell5Alan EdwardsJack Fleming6Willie DaviesGerry Helme7Donald WardBill Derbyshire8Frank WhitcombeDave Cotton9Vic DarlisonBill Riley10H. SmithJim Featherstone11Trevor FosterBob Ryan12Barry TylerHarold Palin13Ken TraillChris BrockbankCoachDai Rees

Challenge Cup

Wigan beat Bradford 8–3 in the final played at Wembley in front of a crowd of 91,465. This was the first Rugby League match ever attended by the reigning monarch, HM King George VI, who presented the trophy. This was also the first televised rugby league match.

This was Wigan's third Cup Final win in seven Final appearances including one loss during World War II. Frank Whitcombe, Bradford Northern's prop forward was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for man-of-the-match.

County cups

References

Sources 1947-48 Rugby Football League season at wigan.rlfans.com The Challenge Cup at The Rugby Football League website