The Rugby Football League Challenge Cup, sometimes known simply as the Challenge Cup, is a knockout rugby league cup tournament organized by the Rugby Football League. It is the world's oldest cup competition in any code of rugby, having been conducted annually since 1896.
18 teams contest for the EPCR Challenge Cup. Of these, 17 teams automatically qualify from Europe's top three professional leagues: the English Premiership, the French Top 14 and the United Rugby Championship. Additionally, one team from South Africa also competes in the Challenge Cup.
Whilst Leigh have won the competition twice – in 1921 and 1971 – Hull KR have won just once, despite appearing in seven cup finals. In fact Rovers’ only victory came in 1980. Looking back in time since the first ever Challenge Cup Final in 1897, a total of 30 teams have won the showpiece with two of those sides – Broughton Rangers and Bradford FC – no longer existing. The most successful are Wigan Warriors with 20 titles in 33 finals!