Sheffield Eagles 17-8 Wigan Warriors — 1998 Challenge Cup Final

Wembley Stadium, London · Attendance: 60,669

Data last verified: 11 August 2026.

1998 Challenge Cup Final: Sheffield Eagles 17-8 Wigan Warriors, at Wembley Stadium, London.

Sourcing caveat: Try-scoring minutes were not confirmed for either team, and the full list of Sheffield/Wigan try scorers beyond the named individuals could not be fully verified. Lineups added via Rugby League Project team-sheet data, which returned clean non-sequential shirt numbers for both teams, cross-checked against the tries list above (Crowther, Pinkney and Bell all appear in the correct squads).

Scorers

Sheffield EaglesTries: Matt Crowther; Nick Pinkney
Goals: Mark Aston (2 goals)
Wigan WarriorsTries: Mark Bell
Goals: Andy Farrell (2 goals)

Teams

Sheffield EaglesWigan Warriors
1Waisale SovatabuaFullbackKris Radlinski1
2Nick PinkneyWingMark Bell5
3Whetu TaewaCentreGary Connolly4
4Keith SeniorCentreDanny Moore3
6Matt CrowtherWingJason Robinson2
22Dave WatsonFive-eighthHenry Paul6
7Mark AstonHalfbackTony Smith7
8Paul BroadbentFront rowTony Mestrov10
9Johnny LawlessHookerRobbie McCormack9
10Dale LaughtonFront rowStephen Holgate17
11Paul CarrSecond rowDenis Betts11
12Darren ShawSecond rowSimon Haughton12
19Rod DoyleLockAndy Farrell13
Substitutes
24Martin WoodNeil Cowie8
25Lynton StottLee Gilmour20
15Darren TurnerTerry O'Connor16
17Michael JacksonMick Cassidy14
John KearCoachJohn Monie

Match officials

RefereeStuart Cummings (Widnes)
Lance Todd TrophyMark Aston (Sheffield Eagles) — Lance Todd Trophy

Match report

The 1998 final is widely described as the biggest upset in Challenge Cup history, and arguably in British rugby league as a whole. Second-tier Sheffield Eagles, formed just 14 years earlier and given little chance against a Wigan side that had dominated the trophy for most of the previous decade, won 17-8 under coach John Kear. Sheffield's game plan of high-tempo, unstructured attacking rugby unsettled a heavily-fancied Wigan team missing several key players to injury/suspension issues, and player-coach Mark Aston kicked crucial points and was named Lance Todd Trophy winner. The result remains one of the most celebrated shocks in the sport and is still commemorated by Sheffield Eagles as the defining moment in the club's history. It also remains the last time a club outside the top division won the Challenge Cup. Since Super League's 1996 launch, the Challenge Cup has continued to sit alongside the league championship as one of English rugby league's two most prestigious domestic honours, with the final remaining a fixture at Wembley Stadium (barring occasional relocations) and continuing to draw some of the largest single-match crowds anywhere in the sport. Since 1946/47, the competition's individual award, the Lance Todd Trophy, has been presented to the final's outstanding player, voted for by a panel of media representatives at the final whistle — on several notable occasions the trophy has gone to a player on the losing side, an unusual honour that reflects the award's focus on individual performance rather than simply reflecting the final scoreline. This was the 97th Challenge Cup final played, and, under the name “Sheffield Eagles,” the 1st Challenge Cup title for the club.

Round by round

Round 1

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Haydock 23–17 BlackbrookBlackbrook Sports & Recreation Club—6 Dec 1997
Hull Dockers 24–14 Broughton Red RoseCockermouth Sports Centre—6 Dec 1997
Dewsbury Moor 32–7 Dublin Blues——6 Dec 1997
Featherstone Lions 26–12 Eccles——6 Dec 1997
Ellenborough 40–14 Crosfields——6 Dec 1997
Farnworth 26–12 Lowca——6 Dec 1997
Folly Lane 22–15 Normanton——6 Dec 1997
Hunslet Warriors 30–5 Ideal ABI——6 Dec 1997
Eastmoor 40–16 John Moores Uni——6 Dec 1997
Leigh East 18–4 East Hull——6 Dec 1997
Myton 12–10 LondonNew River Stadium—6 Dec 1997
Queens 16–6 MilfordBeckett Park—6 Dec 1997
Millom 22–2 York AcornCoronation Field—6 Dec 1997
Moldgreen 18–8 Barrow IslandRidgeway—6 Dec 1997
BRK 34–6 New EarswickWhite Rose Avenue—6 Dec 1997
Oulton 36–16 Loughborough UniversityRaider Park—6 Dec 1997
Ovenden 18–16 DodworthFour Fields—6 Dec 1997
Queensbury 24–16 East Leeds——6 Dec 1997
Redhill 36–12 Wigan St Judes——6 Dec 1997
Clayton 20–0 Shaw Cross——6 Dec 1997
Siddal 40–6 Lindley——6 Dec 1997
Stanningley 50–16 Nottingham Crusaders——6 Dec 1997
Leeds University 48–10 Teesside Steelers——6 Dec 1997
Waterhead 28–4 Westgate Redoubt——6 Dec 1997
Thornhill 24–18 West Bowling——6 Dec 1997
Worth Village 32–4 Fulham Travellers——6 Dec 1997

Round 2

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
BRK 20–18 Leigh EastGildersome Sports Centre—20 Dec 1997
Skirlaugh 42–14 Dudley HillNeil Hunt Memorial Ground—20 Dec 1997
Saddleworth Rangers 34–8 Charleston——20 Dec 1997
Oulton 27–8 Dewsbury Moor——20 Dec 1997
Eastmoor 40–8 Leeds UniversityKing George's Field (Wakefield)—20 Dec 1997
Egremont Rangers 24–12 Hull DockersRecreation Ground (Whitehaven)—20 Dec 1997
Ellenborough 28–22 Queensbury——20 Dec 1997
Folly Lane 37–14 Askam——20 Dec 1997
Haydock 11–0 WaterheadKing George V Playing Fields—20 Dec 1997
Heworth 12–4 ClaytonElm Park Way—20 Dec 1997
Hunslet Warriors 14–6 MillomHunslet Green—20 Dec 1997
Featherstone Lions 28–4 MayfieldMayfield Sports Centre—20 Dec 1997
Moldgreen 22–20 SiddalRidgeway—20 Dec 1997
Norland 52–0 MytonMarist Sporting Club—20 Dec 1997
Ovenden 30–22 Wigan St PatsFour Fields—20 Dec 1997
Queens 42–18 BeverleyBuslingthorpe Vale—20 Dec 1997
Farnworth 37–10 Stanningley——20 Dec 1997
West Hull 37–8 Wigan Rose Bridge——20 Dec 1997
Woolston 22–0 Oldham St Annes——20 Dec 1997
Thornhill 52–4 Worth Village——20 Dec 1997
Lock Lane 19–14 Redhill——21 Dec 1997
Leigh Miners Rangers 46–4 Walney Central——11 Jan 1998
Oldham 36–14 HeworthBoundary Park2,94318 Jan 1998

Round 3

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Batley 44–2 OultonMount Pleasant84931 Jan 1998
Egremont Rangers 20–14 EastmoorKing George's Field (Wakefield)60031 Jan 1998
Ovenden 20–10 MoldgreenRidgeway90031 Jan 1998
Barrow 52–8 FarnworthCraven Park (Barrow)9271 Feb 1998
Ellenborough 16–10 BramleyHeadingley1,1001 Feb 1998
Dewsbury 40–2 ThornhillRam Stadium2,3551 Feb 1998
Featherstone Lions 23–18 DoncasterBelle Vue (Doncaster)1,0121 Feb 1998
Featherstone Rovers 56–0 WoolstonPost Office Road1,1261 Feb 1998
Hull Kingston Rovers 34–16 QueensCraven Park (Hull)1,5841 Feb 1998
Hunslet 44–12 SkirlaughJohn Charles Centre for Sport8301 Feb 1998
Keighley 66–16 Saddleworth RangersCougar Park3,1161 Feb 1998
Lancashire Lynx 46–0 West HullDeepdale4881 Feb 1998
Leigh 44–4 Hunslet WarriorsThe Coliseum1,2591 Feb 1998
Rochdale Hornets 44–4 Leigh Miners RangersSpotland Stadium7371 Feb 1998
Swinton 74–6 Folly LaneGigg Lane2,4251 Feb 1998
Wakefield Trinity 44–6 BRKBelle Vue (Wakefield)1,3691 Feb 1998
Whitehaven 48–7 Lock LaneRecreation Ground (Whitehaven)8301 Feb 1998
Widnes 48–8 OldhamNaughton Park4,5001 Feb 1998
Workington Town 12–8 HaydockDerwent Park1,1391 Feb 1998
York 37–5 NorlandSouth Ryedale Stadium9001 Feb 1998

Round 4

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Egremont Rangers 18–0 Workington TownRecreation Ground (Whitehaven)3,05413 Feb 1998
Hull Kingston Rovers 56–20 Featherstone LionsPost Office Road1,91313 Feb 1998
Castleford 15–12 LeedsHeadingley7,06714 Feb 1998
Salford 74–0 OvendenThrum Hall1,41514 Feb 1998
Widnes 36–22 BarrowCraven Park (Barrow)2,41515 Feb 1998
London 44–20 BatleyMount Pleasant95615 Feb 1998
Ellenborough 14–12 HunsletDerwent Park1,33815 Feb 1998
St Helens 56–24 Featherstone RoversPost Office Road2,75915 Feb 1998
Halifax 28–8 HuddersfieldThrum Hall5,86215 Feb 1998
Wigan 76–0 KeighleyCougar Park4,70015 Feb 1998
Lancashire Lynx 28–28 DewsburyDeepdale75615 Feb 1998
Sheffield 66–11 LeighThe Coliseum1,39115 Feb 1998
Bradford 48–10 Rochdale HornetsSpotland Stadium5,46615 Feb 1998
Swinton 39–21 YorkGigg Lane78015 Feb 1998
Warrington 42–6 Wakefield TrinityBelle Vue (Wakefield)2,84415 Feb 1998

Round 5

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Castleford 26–21 BradfordWheldon Road10,28328 Feb 1998
Wigan 56–0 DewsburyRam Stadium3,3501 Mar 1998
Hull Kingston Rovers 46–24 SwintonCraven Park (Hull)2,5511 Mar 1998
Hull 78–0 EllenboroughThe Boulevard3,0131 Mar 1998
London 21–18 HalifaxThe Stoop Memorial Ground3,0921 Mar 1998
St Helens 35–22 WarringtonKnowsley Road8,4991 Mar 1998
Sheffield 84–6 Egremont RangersDon Valley Stadium2,5001 Mar 1998
Salford 48–6 WidnesNaughton Park5,0001 Mar 1998

Quarter-Final

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Sheffield Eagles 32–22 Castleford TigersWheldon Road7,46714 Mar 1998
London Broncos 46–18 Hull Kingston RoversThe Stoop Memorial Ground4,11115 Mar 1998
Salford Reds 41–10 Hull SharksThe Willows6,21015 Mar 1998
Wigan Warriors 22–10 St HelensCentral Park17,17915 Mar 1998

Semi-Final

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Sheffield Eagles 22–18 Salford RedsHeadingley6,96128 Mar 1998
Wigan Warriors 38–8 London BroncosAlfred McAlpine Stadium11,05829 Mar 1998

Final

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Sheffield Eagles 17–8 Wigan WarriorsWembley Stadium60,6692 May 1998

Early rounds feature amateur and community clubs alongside professional ones; team names are linked only where this site has a team page for that exact club, matching the same safety-first approach used for the Final's own results table.

Sources

← All Challenge Cup Finals