The 1977–78 Challenge Cup was the 77th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup.
The final was contested by Leeds and St. Helens at Wembley.
Leeds beat St. Helens on Saturday 13 May 1978 in front of a crowd of 96,000.
The winner of the Lance Todd Trophy was Saints forward, George Nicholls.
This was Leeds’ eleventh Cup final win in fifteen appearances and their second in successive years.
First round The first round consisted of all 30 professional rugby league clubs, plus two amateur teams, Dewsbury Celtic and Pilkington Recs.
The match between Leeds and Halifax was televised by the BBC, and became infamous for a stray dog which invaded the pitch several times during the match. Date Team one Team two Score11 Feb Leeds Halifax 25-524 Feb St Helens Huyton 36-824 Feb Salford Bramley 9-725 Feb York Warrington 10-1626 Feb Blackpool Huddersfield 7-926 Feb Bradford Northern Barrow 21-1326 Feb Dewsbury Celtic Wigan 5-1526 Feb Dewsbury New Hunslet 13-2226 Feb Hull FC Hull Kingston Rovers 9-726 Feb Leigh Featherstone Rovers 14-2326 Feb Oldham Doncaster 21-726 Feb Pilkington Recs Castleford 22-2326 Feb Swinton Batley 13-026 FebWhitehaven Wakefield Trinity 13-2126 FebWidnes Rochdale Hornets 15-826 FebWorkington Town Keighley 16-5
Second round Date Team one Team two Score11 Mar Wigan Bradford Northern 10-2212 Mar Featherstone Rovers New Hunslet 23-712 Mar Huddersfield Salford 13-312 Mar Hull FC Widnes 8-2012 Mar Oldham St Helens 11-2612 Mar Wakefield Trinity Leeds 6-2812 Mar Warrington Swinton 29-412 Mar Workington Town Castleford 8-814 Mar - replay Castleford Workington Town 8-816 Mar - 2nd replay Workington Town Castleford 13-20
Quarter-finals Date Team one Team two Score19 Mar Featherstone Rovers Castleford 25-1519 Mar Leeds Bradford Northern 16-819 Mar St Helens Huddersfield 31-519 Mar Warrington Widnes 6-0
Semi-finals Date Team one Team two Score01 Apr Leeds Featherstone Rovers 14-908 Apr St Helens Warrington 12-8
Final
FB 1 Willie OultonRW 2 David SmithRC 3 Neil HagueLC 4 Les DylLW 5 John AtkinsonSO 6 John HolmesSH 7 John Sanderson PR 8 Mick Harrison HK 9 David Ward (c)PR 10 Steve PitchfordSR 11 Graham Eccles SR 12 Phil CooksonLF 13 Mick CraneSubstitutions:IC 14 Kevin Dick IC 15 Roy Dickinson Coach: Syd Hynes FB 1 Geoff Pimblett (c)RW 2 Les JonesRC 3 Derek NoonanLC 4 Peter GlynnLW 5 Roy MathiasSO 6 Bill FrancisSH 7 Ken GwilliamPR 8 Dave ChisnallHK 9 Graham Liptrot PR 10 Mel JamesSR 11 George NichollsSR 12 Eddie CunninghamLF 13 Harry PinnerSubstitutions:IC 14 Alan AshtonIC 15 Tony KaraliusCoach: Eric Ashton
References
External links Challenge Cup official website Challenge Cup 1977/78 results at Rugby League Project