1942–43 Yorkshire Cup

The 1942–43 Yorkshire Cup was the thirty-fifth occasion on which the Yorkshire Cup competition was held.

It was a knock-out competition between (mainly professional) rugby league clubs from the county of Yorkshire. The actual area was at times increased to encompass other teams from outside the county such as Newcastle, Mansfield, Coventry, and even London (in the form of Acton & Willesden. The competition always took place early in the season, in the autumn, with the final taking place in (or just before) December. The only exception to this was when disruption of the fixture list was caused during, and immediately after, the two world wars.

The Second World War was continuing and the Yorkshire Cup was played in the early part of the 1942–43 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season.

Dewsbury won the trophy by beating Huddersfield over two legs by an aggregate score of 7–2.

Dewsbury played the first leg match at home (at Crown Flatt) and won 7–0. The attendance was 11,000 and receipts were £680.

Huddersfield were at home (at Fartown) for the second leg match and duly won 2-0. The attendance at the second leg match was 6,252 and receipts £618.

Hull Kingston Rovers dropped out of the wartime Lancashire league after the first (1939–40) season. They did not return to league competition until 1945–46 peacetime season.

Bramley withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not rejoin until the 1945–46 season.

Castleford withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not participate for two seasons, re-joining for the 1944–45 season.

Hunslet withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not participate for this season, re-joining for the next 1943–44 season.

Wigan entered the Yorkshire Cup competition for the third successive season

Oldham also entered the Yorkshire Cup competition and for the third successive season

St. Helens also entered the Yorkshire Cup competition and for their first season.

Dewsbury had a relatively successful time during the war years. Managed by Eddie Waring, and with the side boosted by the inclusion of a number of big-name guest players, the club won the Wartime Emergency League in 1941–42 and again the following season 1942–43 (though that championship was declared null and void when it was discovered they had used an ineligible player). They were also runners-up in the Championship in 1943–44, Challenge Cup winners in 1943 and Yorkshire Cup final appearances in this season 1940–41 and winners in 1942–43.

This season there were no junior/amateur clubs taking part. Bramley, Castleford and Hunslet withdrew, and St. Helens joined. With the continued presence of the two Lancashire clubs, Wigan and Oldham, this resulted in the number of entrants decreasing by two, to a total of fourteen.

This in turn resulted in two byes in the first round.

For the second successive year, all the ties (this season including the actual final) were played on a two-legged home and away basis.

Round 1's first leg involved six matches (with two byes) and 14 clubs.

All first round ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.

Round 1's second leg involved six matches (with two byes) and 14 clubs.

All first round ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.

Round 2's quarterfinals' first leg involved four matches and eight clubs.

All second round ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.

Round 2's second leg involved four matches and eight clubs.

All second round ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.

Round 3's semifinals' first leg involved two matches and four clubs.

Both semifinal ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.

The semifinal's second leg involved two matches and four clubs.

Both semifinal ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.

The final was played on a two-legged home and away basis this season.

The final was played on a two-legged home and away basis this season.

Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = two (2) points

All the ties (including the final itself) were played on a two-leg (home and away) basis.

The first club named in each of the ties played the first leg at home.

The scores shown are the aggregate score over the two legs.

This was the first Yorkshire Cup match to be played by St. Helens and also the first to be played at Knowsley Road.

After extra time - 80 mins score was 19–6 (27-27 agg). Wigan won on aggregate 40–32.

• 1942–43 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season

• Rugby league county cups

• Saints Heritage Society

• 1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season at wigan.rlfans.com

• Hull&Proud Fixtures & Results 1896/1897

• Widnes Vikings - One team, one passion Season In Review - 1896-97

• The Northern Union at warringtonwolves.org