The RFL Yorkshire Cup is a rugby league county cup competition for teams in Yorkshire. Starting in 1905 the competition ran, with the exception of 1915 to 1918, until the 1992–93 season, when it folded due to fixture congestion.
The competition was open to all senior member clubs of the Rugby Football League in Yorkshire and was normally played in the opening months of the season. On two occasions, 1918–19 and 1940–41 the competition was held towards the end of the season due to the two world wars. During the Second World War the Lancashire Cup was not played for between 1941 and 1945 and several Lancashire clubs were admitted into the Yorkshire Cup competition instead. The cup finals in 1942, 1943 and 1944 were played over two legs with the winner being determined by aggregate score over the two matches.
Finals Season Winner Score Runner-up Venue 1905–06 Hunslet 13–3 Halifax Park Avenue, Bradford 1906–07 Bradford FC 8–5 Hull Kingston Rovers Belle Vue, Wakefield 1907–08 Hunslet 17–0 Halifax Headingley, Leeds 1908–09 Halifax 9–5 Hunslet Belle Vue, Wakefield 1909–10 Huddersfield 21–0 Batley Headingley, Leeds 1910–11 Wakefield Trinity 8–2 Huddersfield 1911–12 Huddersfield 22–10 Hull Kingston Rovers Belle Vue, Wakefield 1912–13 Batley 17–3 Hull F.C. Headingley, Leeds 1913–14 Huddersfield 19–3 Bradford Northern Thrum Hall, Halifax 1914–15 Huddersfield 31–0 Hull F.C. Headingley, Leeds 1918–19 Huddersfield 14–8 Dewsbury 1919–20 Huddersfield 24–5 Leeds Thrum Hall, Halifax 1920–21 Hull Kingston Rovers 2–0 Hull F.C. Headingley, Leeds 1921–22 Leeds 11–3 Dewsbury Thrum Hall, Halifax 1922–23 York 5–0 Batley Headingley, Leeds 1923–24 Hull F.C. 10–4 Huddersfield 1924–25 Wakefield Trinity 9–8 Batley 1925–26 Dewsbury 2–0 Huddersfield Belle Vue, Wakefield 1926–27 Huddersfield 10–3 Wakefield TrinityHeadingley, Leeds 1927–28 Dewsbury 8–2 Hull F.C. 1928–29 Leeds 5–0 Featherstone Rovers Belle Vue, Wakefield 1929–30 Hull Kingston Rovers 13–7 Hunslet Headingley, Leeds 1930–31 Leeds 10–2 Huddersfield Thrum Hall, Halifax 1931–32 Huddersfield 4–2 Hunslet Headingley, Leeds 1932–33 Leeds 8–0 Wakefield Trinity Fartown Ground, Huddersfield 1933–34 York 10–4 Hull Kingston Rovers Headingley, Leeds 1934–35 Leeds 5–5 Wakefield Trinity Crown Flatt, Dewsbury Replay 12-2Fartown Ground, Huddersfield Replay 213-0 Parkside, Hunslet 1935–36 Leeds 3–0 York Thrum Hall, Halifax 1936–37 York 9–2 Wakefield Trinity Headingley, Leeds 1937–38 Leeds 14–8 Huddersfield 1938–39 Huddersfield 18–10 Hull F.C. Odsal Stadium, Bradford 1939–40 Featherstone Rovers 12–9 Wakefield Trinity 1940–41 Bradford Northern 15–5 Dewsbury Fartown Ground, Huddersfield 1941–42 Bradford Northern 24–0 Halifax1942–43 Dewsbury 7–0 Huddersfield Crown Flatt, Dewsbury 0–2Fartown Ground, Huddersfield Dewsbury won 7–2 on aggregate 1943–44 Bradford Northern 5–2 KeighleyOdsal Stadium, Bradford 5–5 Lawkholme Lane, Keighley Bradford Northern won 10–7 on aggregate 1944–45 Halifax 12–3 Hunslet Parkside, Hunslet 2–0 Thrum Hall, Halifax Halifax won 14–3 on aggregate 1945–46 Bradford Northern 5–2 Wakefield Trinity Thrum Hall, Halifax 1946–47 Wakefield Trinity 10–0 Hull F.C. Headingley, Leeds 1947–48 Wakefield Trinity 7–7 Leeds Fartown Ground, Huddersfield Replay8–7 Odsal Stadium, Bradford 1948–49 Bradford Northern 18–9 Castleford Headingley, Leeds 1949–50 Bradford Northern 11–4 Huddersfield 1950–51 Huddersfield 16–3 Castleford 1951–52 Wakefield Trinity 17–3 Keighley Fartown Ground, Huddersfield 1952–53 Huddersfield 18–8 Batley Headingley, Leeds 1953–54 Bradford Northern 7–2 Hull F.C. 1954–55 Halifax 22–14 Hull F.C. 1955–56 Halifax 10–10 Hull F.C. Replay 7–0 Odsal Stadium, Bradford 1956–57 Wakefield Trinity 23–5 Hunslet Headingley, Leeds 1957–58 Huddersfield 15–8 York 1958–59 Leeds 24–20 Wakefield Trinity Odsal, Bradford 1959–60 Featherstone Rovers 15–14 Hull F.C. Headingley, Leeds 1960–61 Wakefield Trinity 16–10 Huddersfield 1961–62 Wakefield Trinity 19–9 Leeds Odsal Stadium, Bradford 1962–63 Hunslet 12–2 Hull Kingston Rovers Headingley, Leeds 1963–64 Halifax 10–0 Featherstone Rovers Belle Vue, Wakefield 1964–65 Wakefield Trinity 18–2 Leeds Fartown Ground, Huddersfield 1965–66 Bradford Northern 17–8 Hunslet Headingley, Leeds 1966–67 Hull Kingston Rovers 25–12 Featherstone Rovers 1967–68 Hull Kingston Rovers 8–7 Hull F.C. 1968–69 Leeds 22–11 Castleford Belle Vue, Wakefield 1969–70 Hull F.C. 12–9 Featherstone Rovers Headingley, Leeds 1970–71 Leeds 23–7 Featherstone Rovers Odsal Stadium, Bradford 1971–72 Hull Kingston Rovers 11–7 Castleford Belle Vue, Wakefield 1972–73 Leeds 36–9 Dewsbury Odsal Stadium, Bradford 1973–74 Leeds 7–2 Wakefield Trinity Headingley, Leeds 1974–75 Hull Kingston Rovers 16–13 Wakefield Trinity 1975–76 Leeds 15–11 Hull Kingston Rovers 1976–77 Leeds 16–12 Featherstone Rovers 1977–78 Castleford 17–7 Featherstone Rovers 1978–79 Bradford Northern 18–8 York 1979–80 Leeds 15–6 Halifax 1980–81 Leeds 8–7 Hull Kingston Rovers Fartown Ground, Huddersfield 1981–82 Castleford 10–5 Bradford Northern Headingley, Leeds 1982–83 Hull F.C. 18–7 Bradford Northern 1983–84 Hull F.C. 13–2 Castleford Elland Road, Leeds 1984–85 Hull F.C. 29–12 Hull Kingston Rovers Boothferry Park, Hull 1985–86 Hull Kingston Rovers 22–18 Castleford Headingley, Leeds 1986–87 Castleford 31–24 Hull F.C. 1987–88 Bradford Northern 12–12, Castleford Replay 11–2 Elland Road, Leeds 1988–89 Leeds 33–12 Castleford 1989–90 Bradford Northern 20–14 Featherstone Rovers Headingley, Leeds 1990–91 Castleford 11–8 Wakefield Trinity Elland Road, Leeds 1991–92 Castleford 28–6 Bradford Northern 1992–93 Wakefield Trinity 29–16 Sheffield EaglesSource:
Wins by club ClubWinsWinning years1 Leeds17 1921, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1958, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980 & 19882 Huddersfield12 1909, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1919, 1919, 1926, 1931, 1938, 1950, 1952 & 19573 Bradford111941, 1941, 1943, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1965, 1978, 1987 & 19894 Wakefield Trinity10 1910, 1924, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1964 & 19925 Hull Kingston Rovers7 1920, 1929, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1974 & 19856= Castleford5 1977, 1981, 1986, 1990 & 1991 Hull F.C.5 1923, 1969, 1982, 1983 & 1984 Halifax5 1908, 1944, 1954, 1955 & 19639= Hunslet3 1905, 1907 & 1962 Dewsbury3 1925, 1927 & 1942 York3 1922, 1933 & 193612 Featherstone Rovers2 1940 & 195913= Batley1 1912Bradford FC1 1906
Sponsors YearsSponsorName1972–1979EssoEsso Yorkshire Cup1980–1982Webster's BreweryWebster's Yorkshire Cup1983–1984PhillipsPhillips Yorkshire Cup1985–1992John Smith's BreweryJohn Smith's Yorkshire Cup
Records Cup final Most appearances: 21, Leeds Most wins: 17, Leeds Most consecutive wins: 4, Huddersfield 1913-14, 14-15, 1919 Spring & 1919 Autumn Highest score: 34–8, Leeds v Dewsbury 1972 Highest aggregate score: 65, 31-24 Castleford v Hull F.C. 1986 Lowest aggregate score: 2–0 on four occasions 1920, 1925, 1942, 1944 Biggest winning margin: 28, 30–2 Huddersfield v Hull 1914 Biggest attendance: 36,000, Bradford Northern v Huddersfield at Headingley 1949 Smallest attendance: 5,536, Castleford v Hull Kingston Rovers at Belle Vue 1971 Highest receipts: £83,591 Leeds v Castleford at Elland Road 1988
Individual records in the final Most tries in a final: 4, Stan Moorhouse for Huddersfield v Leeds 1919 Most goals in a final: 6, David Stephenson for Leeds v Castleford 1988 Most points in a final: 16, Graham Steadman (4 goals and 2 tries) for Castleford v Bradford Northern 1991 Most appearances in a final: 10, Douglas Clark, Huddersfield 1909, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1919 Spring, 1919 Autumn, 1923, 1925, 1926 Most tries in finals: 6 (two times), Stan Moorhouse, Huddersfield 1911, 1914, 1919 Autumn and Stan Smith, Leeds 1934, 1935, 1937 Most goals in finals: 19, Neil Fox Wakefield Trinity, Hull Kingston Rovers & Bradford Northern 1958, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1975, 1978 Most points in finals: 53, Neil Fox Wakefield Trinity, Hull Kingston Rovers & Bradford Northern 1958, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1975, 1978
Competition records Highest score: 6–100, Nottingham City v Hull Kingston Rovers 1990 Highest score v a junior club: 79–5, Huddersfield v Yorkshire Amateurs 1948 Highest aggregate score in two-legged fixture: 140–5, Huddersfield v Yorkshire Amateurs 1948
Sources:
White Rose Trophy Between 1966 and 1993 a trophy, called the White Rose Trophy, was awarded to the man of the match in each final. The judging was conducted by members of the press.
2019 revival
In 2019, the name of the competition was reused as a pre-season tournament between seven of the non-Super League teams; Batley, Bradford, Dewsbury, Featherstone, Halifax, Hunslet and York; and amateur side Hunslet Club Parkside. The competition was a one-off has not been played since.
Bradford Bulls won the tournament beating Batley Bulldogs 14–12 at Mount Pleasant, Batley.
See also
RFL Yorkshire League
References
External links Yorkshire Cup Results, Rugby League Project