St Helens 13-6 Bradford Bulls — 2001 Challenge Cup Final

Twickenham, London · Attendance: 68,250

Data last verified: 11 August 2026.

2001 Challenge Cup Final: St Helens 13-6 Bradford Bulls, at Twickenham, London.

Sourcing caveat: Try-scoring minutes and Bradford's try scorers could not be confirmed and are omitted; St Helens' try list may also be incomplete relative to the 13-point total. This final also tripped the "position-order" pitfall on Rugby League Project's team-sheet page (both teams returned a plain 1-17 slot sequence). Numbers for returning players were recovered by cross-referencing the immediately-preceding season's confirmed sources — Bradford's numbers against the Bulls' 2000-season squad list (see the 2000 entry above) and St Helens' against this site's 2000 Super League Grand Final lineup (data/super_league_finals_reports.py / super_league_grand_finals.py), six months earlier — since Super League squad numbers were typically fixed for a player across a season and often carried into the next. On a later pass, all remaining players were resolved using this site's own Super League data for the exact same 2001 season, which turned out to hold better cross-references than the six-months-earlier 2000 material used for the numbers above: St Helens' 22 September 2001 Elimination Final and 6 October 2001 Preliminary Final (both v Wigan/Leeds, data/super_league_finals_reports.py) gave Paul Wellens 1, Sean Hoppe 2, David Fairleigh 10, Peter Shiels 8, Vila Mata'utia 16 and Anthony Stewart 19 — all exact same-season matches, several with matching positions too (e.g. Shiels at Second Row in both). Bradford's own 8 September 2001 Qualifying Final lineup, which the same site data notes cross-matches number-for-number against Bradford's 2001 Grand Final lineup two weeks later, gave Shane Rigon 15, Joe Vagana 8 and Daniel Gartner 11. Paul Newlove (4) and Sonny Nickle (12) recur consistently across this site's 1998-2000 St Helens data but do not appear in the specific 2001-season matches checked, so those two numbers are adjacent-season cross-references rather than same-season confirmations — included on the same basis as the 2000 entry's Rivett/St Hilaire numbers above, since both were established, settled squad members unlikely to have been renumbered. Lee Gilmour could not be resolved: the only Lee Gilmour appearances in this site's Super League backlog are for Wigan Warriors, not Bradford, so no genuine cross-reference exists for him and his number remains UNCONFIRMED.

Scorers

St HelensTries: Keiron Cunningham; Tommy Martyn
Goals: Sean Long (2 goals)
Bradford BullsGoals: Henry Paul (3 goals)

Teams

St HelensBradford Bulls
1Paul WellensFullbackMichael Withers5
2Sean HoppeWingTevita Vaikona2
3Kevin IroCentreScott Naylor20
4Paul NewloveCentreShane Rigon15
5Anthony SullivanWingLeon Pryce3
20Tommy MartynFive-eighthHenry Paul6
7Sean LongHalfbackRobbie Hunter-Paul1
12Sonny NickleFront rowJoe Vagana8
9Keiron CunninghamHookerJames Lowes9
10David FairleighFront rowBrian McDermott22
11Chris JoyntSecond rowJamie Peacock19
8Peter ShielsSecond rowDaniel Gartner11
13Paul SculthorpeLockMike Forshaw12
Substitutes
14Tim JonkersPaul Deacon7
16Vila Mata'utiaPaul Anderson10
24Steve HallLee GilmourUNCONFIRMED
19Anthony StewartStuart Fielden29
Ian MillwardCoachBrian Noble

Match officials

RefereeRussell Smith (Castleford)
Lance Todd TrophySean Long (St Helens) — Lance Todd Trophy, the first of his three Lance Todd wins

Match report

The 2001 final, the first played at Twickenham after Murrayfield hosted the previous year's edition, was a tight, low-scoring, defence-dominated affair between the competition's two dominant clubs of the era. St Helens led 13-4 at half-time and held off a stronger-fancied Bradford Bulls side to win 13-6, denying Bradford a repeat of their 2000 triumph. Sean Long was influential throughout and was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy, the first of three he would win in this fixture during the decade. The result began a period of St Helens-Bradford rivalry dominance at the top of the English game, with the two clubs meeting in four of the six finals from 1996 to 2001. 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 100th Challenge Cup final played, and, under the name “St Helens,” the 8th Challenge Cup title for the club.

Round by round

Round 1

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Clayton 10–20 Leeds Met Uni——2 Dec 2000
Cott. Phoenix 2–17 Hensingham——2 Dec 2000
Dewsbury Moor 17–18 Eastmoor——2 Dec 2000
East Leeds 14–12 EllandEasy Road—2 Dec 2000
Eccles 25–16 RL Lionhearts——2 Dec 2000
Hull Dockers 28–4 West BowlingThe Willows Sports & Social Club—2 Dec 2000
Leigh East 10–15 Shaw Cross——2 Dec 2000
London 18–10 CrosfieldsNew River Stadium—2 Dec 2000
Milford 16–26 Wigan St JudesBeckett Park—2 Dec 2000
Millom 34–8 NormantonCoronation Field—2 Dec 2000
Newcastle Uni 36–22 Hunslet Warriors——2 Dec 2000
Queensbury 24–0 Charleston——2 Dec 2000
Rochdale Mayfield 32–16 Castleford PanthersSpringhill—2 Dec 2000
RAF 12–32 Heworth——2 Dec 2000
Navy 18–6 WaterheadVictory Stadium—2 Dec 2000
Sheffield Hills 10–18 Featherstone Lions——2 Dec 2000
Siddal 28–8 Dewsbury Celtic——2 Dec 2000
Thatto Heath 24–22 Keighley Albion——2 Dec 2000
Wath Brow Hornets 41–6 British Army——2 Dec 2000
Welsh Students 15–18 Askam——2 Dec 2000
Widnes St Maries 38–18 Blackbrook——2 Dec 2000
Wigan Rose Bridge 72–0 Glasgow——2 Dec 2000
York Acorn 0–18 Simms Cross——2 Dec 2000
New Earswick 36–20 BangorWhite Rose Avenue—3 Dec 2000

Round 2

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Askam 12–2 MillomFallowfield Park—16 Dec 2000
East Leeds 28–10 LondonEasy Road—16 Dec 2000
Eastmoor 0–34 West HullKing George's Field—16 Dec 2000
Heworth 12–10 Featherstone LionsElm Park Way—16 Dec 2000
New Earswick 11–7 Thatto HeathWhite Rose Avenue—16 Dec 2000
Newcastle Uni 8–51 Leigh Miners R.——16 Dec 2000
Rochdale Mayfield 15–10 Dudley HillSpringhill—16 Dec 2000
Navy 12–13 EcclesVictory Stadium—16 Dec 2000
Saddleworth 0–30 Oldham St AnnesShaw Hall Bank Road—16 Dec 2000
Siddal 22–12 Hull Dockers——16 Dec 2000
Simms Cross 8–0 Shaw Cross——16 Dec 2000
Skirlaugh 16–38 Oulton——16 Dec 2000
Thornhill 18–10 Leeds Met Uni——16 Dec 2000
Walney 4–13 Queensbury——16 Dec 2000
Wath Brow Hornets 8–11 Lock Lane——16 Dec 2000
Wigan Rose Bridge 26–8 Redhill——16 Dec 2000
Wigan St Judes 15–9 Widnes St MariesParsons Meadow Playing Fields—16 Dec 2000
Wigan St Pats 4–3 Ideal IsbergClarington Park—16 Dec 2000
Woolston 32–11 Hensingham——16 Dec 2000

Round 3

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Simms Cross 10–42 VilleneuveAutoQuest Stadium80926 Jan 2001
Dewsbury 48–10 Leigh Miners R.Ram Stadium1,26027 Jan 2001
Rochdale Hornets 52–0 Wigan Rose BridgeSpotland Stadium73127 Jan 2001
Barrow 40–16 AskamCraven Park (Barrow)2,09228 Jan 2001
Batley 70–0 HeworthMount Pleasant57328 Jan 2001
Chorley 8–22 WoolstonVictory Park55928 Jan 2001
Doncaster 44–14 SiddalBelle Vue (Doncaster)1,34128 Jan 2001
Featherstone Rovers 56–0 EcclesLionheart Stadium1,04528 Jan 2001
Gateshead Thunder 34–20 Wigan St JudesGateshead International Stadium50128 Jan 2001
Hull KR 44–0 ToulouseCraven Park (Hull)1,64928 Jan 2001
Hunslet 38–6 ThornhillJohn Charles Centre for Sport62928 Jan 2001
Keighley 76–0 Rochdale MayfieldCougar Park1,76428 Jan 2001
Leigh 28–5 West HullThe Coliseum1,54728 Jan 2001
Oldham 64–0 QueensburyBoundary Park1,55928 Jan 2001
Sheffield 42–0 East LeedsDon Valley Stadium77828 Jan 2001
Swinton 44–12 New EarswickGigg Lane47828 Jan 2001
Whitehaven 34–16 Oldham St AnnesRecreation Ground (Whitehaven)61628 Jan 2001
Widnes 70–2 Wigan St PatsAutoQuest Stadium2,46528 Jan 2001
Workington 38–0 Lock LaneDerwent Park86728 Jan 2001
York 24–12 OultonHuntington Stadium91428 Jan 2001

Round 4

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
St Helens 22–8 WiganKnowsley Road13,59310 Feb 2001
Barrow 4–56 HalifaxCraven Park (Barrow)2,16011 Feb 2001
Bradford 54–10 WidnesValley Parade7,76011 Feb 2001
Dewsbury 4–18 CastlefordRam Stadium3,38411 Feb 2001
Doncaster 14–12 SheffieldBelle Vue (Doncaster)1,34411 Feb 2001
Huddersfield 28–6 Featherstone RoversAlfred McAlpine Stadium2,52711 Feb 2001
Keighley 20–34 Hull FCCougar Park4,40111 Feb 2001
Leigh 16–12 SalfordThe Coliseum6,40811 Feb 2001
London 44–6 BatleyBroadfield Stadium1,20411 Feb 2001
Swinton 10–106 LeedsGigg Lane3,23911 Feb 2001
Warrington 48–6 WoolstonWilderspool6,00811 Feb 2001
Workington 6–56 Wakefield TrinityDerwent Park1,71011 Feb 2001
York 8–22 VilleneuveHuntington Stadium47111 Feb 2001
Oldham 17–6 Hull KRBoundary Park2,00813 Feb 2001
Rochdale Hornets 38–4 HunsletSpotland Stadium60513 Feb 2001
Gateshead Thunder 0–56 WhitehavenGateshead International Stadium37714 Feb 2001

Round 5

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Castleford 12–42 LeedsThe Jungle11,41824 Feb 2001
Warrington 20–10 LeighWilderspool8,84424 Feb 2001
Halifax 18–68 BradfordThe New Shay6,12925 Feb 2001
Huddersfield 38–24 DoncasterAlfred McAlpine Stadium2,17625 Feb 2001
Hull FC 30–20 LondonThe Boulevard6,70125 Feb 2001
Oldham 6–26 Wakefield TrinityBoundary Park3,07125 Feb 2001
Rochdale Hornets 19–26 VilleneuveSpotland Stadium81725 Feb 2001
Whitehaven 22–34 St HelensRecreation Ground (Whitehaven)4,75025 Feb 2001

Quarter-Finals

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
St Helens 54–16 HuddersfieldKnowsley Road7,8999 Mar 2001
Hull FC 18–20 LeedsThe Boulevard10,12310 Mar 2001
Wakefield Trinity 0–38 BradfordBelle Vue (Wakefield)5,28011 Mar 2001
Warrington 32–0 VilleneuveWilderspool4,80511 Mar 2001

Semi-Finals

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
St Helens 27–22 LeedsJJB Stadium16,41631 Mar 2001
Warrington 22–39 BradfordAlfred McAlpine Stadium13,8561 Apr 2001

Final

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
St Helens 13–6 BradfordTwickenham Stadium68,25028 Apr 2001

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