RFL Lancashire Cup

The RFL Lancashire Cup, usually referred to as the Lancashire Cup, was a British rugby league football knock-out competition founded in 1905. Organised by the Rugby Football League (RFL), the competition was open to all professional clubs in the Lancashire region, but also included a number of clubs based in Cumbria.

The tournament was held annually and was usually played over four rounds, with the fixtures normally being played during the early part of the season. The tournament was scrapped along with the Yorkshire Cup after the 1992–93 season.

The most successful club was Wigan, who won the trophy on 21 occasions.

The competition was introduced in 1905. In 1976, Burtonwood Brewery agreed to sponsor the tournament in a deal worth £4,000 per year. They were replaced as sponsor by Grunhalle Lager (brewed by Greenall Whitley) in 1986.

During the latter years of the competition, clubs complained increasingly about fixture congestion, resulting in the cup being scrapped in 1993.

The Lancashire Cup was not played during the Second World War (1940–45). During this period the Yorkshire Cup finals of 1942, 1943, and 1944 were played over two legs, with aggregate score being used.

• Most appearances: 35, Wigan

• Most wins: 21, Wigan

• Highest score: 34–8, Wigan v Warrington 1985

• Biggest winning margin: 28, 30–2, St. Helens v Oldham 1968

• Biggest attendance: 42,795, St. Helens v Wigan at Station Road, Swinton 1953

• Most tries in a final: 4, Brian Nordgren for Wigan v Leigh 1949

• Most goals in a final: 7 (three times), Jim Ledgard for Leigh v Widnes 1955; Steve Hesford for Warrington v Wigan 1980; David Stephenson for Wigan v Warrington 1985

• Most points in a final: 17 Steve Hesford (7 goals and 1 try) for Warrington v Wigan 1980

• Highest score: 112–0, St. Helens v Carlisle 1986

• RFL Lancashire League

• Lancashire Cup Results, Rugby League Project