The 2012 Challenge Cup (also known as the Carnegie Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 111th staging of the most competitive European rugby league tournament at club level and was open to teams from England, Wales, Scotland and France. It began its preliminary stages in January 2012.
The pools in the preliminary round were dropped.
Wigan Warriors were the reigning champions, but lost 28–39 to Leeds Rhinos in the semi-finals, who avenged last season's final defeat. However, they went on to lose their third consecutive final, the second of which to the Warrington Wolves 18 - 35.
Preliminary round
A total of 44 teams played a preliminary-round tie. The clubs involved included 22 NCL Divisions 1 and 2, 5 regional league winners, the Yorkshire and Lancashire County Cup winners, 1 Cumberland ARL nomination and the British Police. Also in the draw were the Scottish champions and a Welsh representative, 4 teams from the 2011 Rugby League Conference National, 6 Student teams and a North West League representative.
The draw for the preliminary and first round were made on 19 December 2011.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Sharlston Rovers 1–0 Edge Hill University Bye – HWO Weeland Road Shaw Cross Sharks 1–0 Valley Cougars Bye – HWO Paul Hinchliffe Memorial Ground Leeds Metropolitan University 15–14 Ovenden RLFC 4 February 2012 13:30 Milford Sports Club B Robinson Egremont Rangers 22–16 Bank Quay Bulls 11 February 2012 13:30 Gillfoot Park C Braithwaite Kells 20–14 Widnes West Bank 11 February 2012 14:00 Old Arrowthwaite M Laing Seaton Rangers 8–24 Huddersfield Underbank Rangers 11 February 2012 14:00 Station Yard A Gill Blackbrook Royals 18–8 Eccles and Salford Juniors 12 February 2012 14:00 Recreation Ground M Woodhead Millom RLFC 20–10 British Police 12 February 2012 14:00 Coronation Field M Hebblethwaite Wigan St Cuthberts 24–18 Northumbria University 12 February 2012 14:00 Montrose Avenue S Race Normanton Knights 32–30 Milford Marlins 15 February 2012 19:00 Queen Elizabeth Drive C Kendall Castleford Lock Lane 24–18 Elland RLFC 15 February 2012 19:30 Lock Lane Sports Centre J Lowery Loughborough University 22–50 Hunslet Warriors 18 February 2012 13:30 Holywell Park L Fellows Bradford Dudley Hill 38–0 Castleford Panthers 18 February 2012 13:30 Neil Hunt Memorial Ground J Callaghan Warrington Wizards 18–28 East Leeds 18 February 2012 13:30 Wilderspool Stadium M Mannifield York Acorn 42–4 Norland Sharks 18 February 2012 13:30 Acorn Sports and Social Club C Dean Oldham St Annes 40–4 Bentley Good Companions 18 February 2012 13:30 Higginshaw Road M Craven Featherstone Lions 14–22 Askam 18 February 2012 14:00 Mill Pond Stadium G Evans Rochdale Mayfield 14–33 University of Gloucestershire 18 February 2012 14:00 Mayfield Sports Arena N Aspey Eastmoor Dragons 22–16 Wigan St Judes 18 February 2012 14:00 King George V Playing Fields S Ansell Nottingham Outlaws 0–50 Hunslet Old Boys 18 February 2012 16:00 Harvey Hadden Stadium T Mather Stanley Rangers 60–22 Edinburgh Eagles 19 February 2012 14:00 Stanley Sports and Social Club A Sweet Hull University 10–68 Waterhead RLFC 19 February 2012 14:00 Cottingham Road J Roberts Source:
Round 1 The 22 winners from the preliminary round then progress to the first round where 11 games were drawn. Due to the number of postponed matches, ties (other than Egremont v Leeds Met and Castleford Lock Lane v Sharlston) were played a week later on 25 February.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Egremont Rangers 30–6 Leeds Metropolitan University 18 February 2012 13:30 Gillfoot Park M Laing Castleford Lock Lane 24–32 Sharlston Rovers 18 February 2012 13:30 Lock Lane Sports Centre S Mikalauskas Wigan St Cuthberts 46–22 Eastmoor Dragons 25 February 2012 13:30 Montrose Avenue M Craven Shaw Cross Sharks 10–18 York Acorn 25 February 2012 14:00 Paul Hinchliffe Memorial Ground A Gill Hunslet Warriors 32–8 Oldham St Annes 25 February 2012 14:00 The Oval J Roberts Hunslet Old Boys 26–14 Waterhead 25 February 2012 14:00 Hillidge Road B Robinson Huddersfield Underbank Rangers 48–10 Stanley Rangers 25 February 2012 14:00 The Cross Grounds J Callaghan Blackbrook Royals 24–20 (aet) East Leeds 25 February 2012 14:00 Recreation Ground M Laing Millom 36–8 University of Gloucestershire 25 February 2012 14:00 Coronation Field C Braithwaite Kells 34–12 Normanton Knights 25 February 2012 14:00 Old Arrowthwaite N Aspey Bradford Dudley Hill 52–12 Askam 25 February 2012 14:00 Neil Hunt Memorial Ground A Sweet Source:
Round 2
The 11 first-round winners then progressed to round two where they met the 14 National Conference League Premier teams and the three Armed Forces teams who entered at this stage to total 28 teams to be drawn into 14 games.
The draw for the second round were made on 27 February 2012 aboard and was carried out by Commanding Officer, Captain Martin Connell, who drew the home teams and the away teams were pulled out by England Head Coach Steve McNamara.
The second-round ties were played on the weekend of 10 and 11 March.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance East Hull 32–14 Royal Air Force 10 March 2012 13:30 Rosemead Sports Centre A Sweet Egremont Rangers 32–22 Ince Rose Bridge 10 March 2012 13:30 Gillfoot Park J Roberts Siddal 62–12 West Hull 10 March 2012 14:00 Siddal Sports & Community Centre M Hague Hull Dockers 30–21 Kells 10 March 2012 14:00 The Willows L Fellows Royal Navy 32–24 Leigh Miners Rangers 10 March 2012 14:00 United Services Sport Ground M Mannifield Thatto Heath Crusaders 32–10 Millom RLFC 10 March 2012 14:00 Hattons Solicitors Crusader Park P Stockman York Acorn 26–10 Skirlaugh RLFC 10 March 2012 14:00 Acorn Sports & Social Club C Hancock Hunslet Old Boys 16–12 Blackbrook Royals 10 March 2012 14:00 The Hunslet Club J McMullen Sharlston Rovers 20–19 Wigan St Cuthberts 10 March 2012 14:00 Sharlston ARLFC P Marklove Hunslet Warriors 30–0 Wigan St Patricks 10 March 2012 14:30 The Oval S Ansell Oulton Raiders 19–5 British Army 10 March 2012 14:30 Oulton & Woodlesford Sports & Social Club A Gill Saddleworth Rangers 18–36 Myton Warriors 10 March 2012 14:30 Shaw Hall Bank Road M Laing Leigh East 6–16 Bradford Dudley Hill 10 March 2012 14:30 Leigh East ARLFC S Mikalauskas Huddersfield Underbank Rangers 10–24 Wath Brow Hornets 11 March 2012 14:00 The Cross Grounds M Woodhead Source:
Round 3 A total of 14 community clubs would progress to round three, where they would be joined by the Co-operative Championships clubs as well as Toulouse Olympique and Lézignan Sangliers.
Cumbrian Rugby League stars Sol Roper and Rob Purdham conducted the draw for the third round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup at Whitehaven's Recreation Ground on 13 March. Roper, a scrum-half who played in two Wembley finals with Workington Town in 1955 and 1958, drew the home teams and former Whitehaven and London Broncos player Purdham drew the away teams.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Egremont Rangers 14–22 Oldham R.L.F.C. 23 March 2012 20:00 Recreation Ground Joe Cobb 468 Doncaster 57–10 Sharlston Rovers 24 March 2012 15:00 Keepmoat Stadium Chris Leatherbarrow 496 Gateshead Thunder 28–10 York Acorn 24 March 2012 15:00 Thunderdome Peter Brooke 179 London Skolars 26–43 Leigh Centurions 24 March 2012 15:00 New River Stadium Matthew Kidd 367 Oulton Raiders 8–58 Sheffield Eagles 24 March 2012 15:00 Rapid Solicitors Stadium Warren Turley 1,020 Wath Brow Hornets 22–24 South Wales Scorpions 24 March 2012 15:00 Recreation Ground J Bloem North Wales Crusaders 28–10 Toulouse Olympique 24 March 2012 19:45 Racecourse Ground George Stokes 567 Bradford Dudley Hill 6–58 Keighley Cougars 25 March 2012 14:00 Cougar Park B Robinson 840 Hunslet Old Boys 12–86 Featherstone Rovers 25 March 2012 14:00 Bigfellas Stadium Tom Crashley 785 Hunslet Hawks 34–14 Royal Navy 25 March 2012 14:00 South Leeds Stadium Ronnie Laughton 302 Swinton Lions 66–0 Siddal 25 March 2012 14:00 Leigh Sports Village D Sharpe 404 Barrow Raiders 32–22 Lézignan Sangliers 25 March 2012 15:00 Craven Park Greg Dolan 1,340 Dewsbury Rams 84–12 Thatto Heath Crusaders 25 March 2012 15:00 Tetley's Stadium C Kendall 606 East Hull 20–48 Rochdale Hornets 25 March 2012 15:00 Spotland Stadium Dave Merrick 303 Myton Warriors 4–94 Halifax 25 March 2012 15:00 The Shay J Callaghan 1,011 Whitehaven 52–6 Hunslet Warriors 25 March 2012 15:00 Recreation Ground Scott Mikalauskas Workington Town 6–22 Batley Bulldogs 25 March 2012 15:00 Derwent Park Jamie Leahy 601 York City Knights 40–14 Hull Dockers 25 March 2012 15:00 Huntington Stadium Gareth Hewer 346 Source:
Notes A. Game switched to Recreation Ground (Whitehaven) B. Game switched to Rapid Solicitors Stadium (Wakefield) C. Game switched to Cougar Park (Keighley) D. Game switched to Bigfellas Stadium (Featherstone) E. Game switched to Spotland (Rochdale) F. Game switched to The Shay (Halifax)
Round 4
The draw for round 4 took place at 8.50pm on 26 March 2012 and was conducted by Challenge Cup winners Andy Gregory and Lee Crooks. The games took place over the weekend of 13, 14 and 15 April 2012 with BBC Sport showing the tie between Widnes Vikings and St. Helens and for the first time Sky Sports televised the Featherstone Rovers v Castleford Tigers.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Leeds Rhinos 38–18 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 13 April 2012 20:00 Headingley Carnegie Stadium R Silverwood 7,140 Swinton Lions 70–10 Gateshead Thunder 14 April 2012 14:00 Leigh Sports Village W Turley 415 Featherstone Rovers 23–16 Castleford Tigers 14 April 2012 15:00 Bigfellas Stadium B Thaler 4,165 South Wales Scorpions 28–84 Halifax 14 April 2012 15:00 The Shay R Hicks 879 Widnes Vikings 38–40 St. Helens 14 April 2012 17:30 Stobart Stadium J Child 3,069 Keighley Cougars 18–44 Warrington Wolves 15 April 2012 14:00 Cougar Park T Roby 2,196 London Broncos 72–4 Dewsbury Rams 15 April 2012 14:00 Twickenham Stoop M Tomason 652 Bradford Bulls 72–6 Doncaster 15 April 2012 15:00 Odsal Stadium J Leahy 3,210 Hull F.C. 16–42 Huddersfield Giants 15 April 2012 15:00 KC Stadium T Alibert 8,327 Hull Kingston Rovers 18–20 Catalans Dragons 15 April 2012 15:00 MS3 Craven Park P Bentham 7,000 Hunslet Hawks 18–21 Batley Bulldogs 15 April 2012 15:00 South Leeds Stadium G Hewer 664 Leigh Centurions 68–18 Rochdale Hornets 15 April 2012 15:00 Leigh Sports Village C Leatherbarrow 1,229 Oldham R.L.F.C. 26–14 Barrow Raiders 15 April 2012 15:00 Whitebank Stadium D Merrick 773 Whitehaven 18–58 Salford City Reds 15 April 2012 15:00 Recreation Ground S Ganson 751 Wigan Warriors 98–4 North Wales Crusaders 15 April 2012 15:00 DW Stadium G Stokes 4,198 York City Knights 12–50 Sheffield Eagles 15 April 2012 15:00 Huntington Stadium R Laughton 551 Source:
Round 5 The draw, which took place at 3:00pm on 16 April 2012 had an Olympic and Paralympic theme with the last 16 teams drawn by two athletes who were hoping for medal success at London 2012, Johanna Jackson and Louis Speight. Round 5 took place over the weekend of 28 and 29 April 2012,
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Oldham R.L.F.C. 0–76 St. Helens 27 April 2012 20:00 Langtree Park B Thaler 5,742 Featherstone Rovers 16–32 Wigan Warriors 27 April 2012 20:00 Bigfellas Stadium R Silverwood 4,082 Warrington Wolves 32–16 Bradford Bulls 28 April 2012 14:40 Halliwell Jones Stadium J Child 5,505 Catalans Dragons 68–6 Sheffield Eagles 28 April 2012 18:30 CET Stade Gilbert Brutus R Hicks 7,000 Leigh Centurions 19–18 Halifax 29 April 2012 14:00 Leigh Sports Village P Bentham 2,182 Batley Bulldogs 16–22 London Broncos 29 April 2012 14:00 Mount Pleasant T Alibert 1,025 Salford City Reds 10–16 Leeds Rhinos 29 April 2012 15:00 City of Salford Stadium S Ganson Huddersfield Giants 52–0 Swinton Lions 29 April 2012 15:00 Galpharm Stadium T Roby 2,617 Source:
Quarter finals