Hull FC 25-24 Leeds Rhinos — 2005 Challenge Cup Final

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff · Attendance: 74,213

Data last verified: 11 August 2026.

2005 Challenge Cup Final: Hull FC 25-24 Leeds Rhinos, at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Sourcing caveat: Exact goal-kicking tallies and try minutes could not be confirmed for either team, and the Lance Todd Trophy winner is omitted as unconfirmed; some secondary sources describe a Danny Brough drop goal in the finish that could not be corroborated, so it is not stated as fact — Brough does appear in the Hull FC lineup below as halfback. Lineups added via Rugby League Project team-sheet data, which returned clean non-sequential shirt numbers for both teams (e.g. Kevin Sinfield at 13, matching his known early-career squad number), cross-checked against the tries list above.

Scorers

Hull FCTries: Paul Cooke (2 tries, including a decisive late score); Motu Tony; Gareth Raynor; Richard Whiting
Leeds RhinosTries: Mark Calderwood (2 tries); Danny Ward; Marcus Bai

Teams

Hull FCLeeds Rhinos
2Nathan BlacklockFullbackRichard Mathers1
14Motu TonyWingMark Calderwood2
30Richard WhitingCentreChev Walker3
3Kirk YeamanCentreKeith Senior4
5Gareth RaynorWingMarcus Bai5
6Richard HorneFive-eighthKevin Sinfield13
21Danny BroughHalfbackRob Burrow7
8Ewan DowesFront rowRyan Bailey8
9Richard SwainHookerMatt Diskin9
20Garreth CarvellFront rowDanny Ward15
11Shayne McMenemySecond rowAli Lauitiiti11
12Stephen KearneySecond rowChris McKenna12
13Paul CookeLockGareth Ellis20
Substitutes
10Paul KingJamie Jones-Buchanan18
17Chris ChesterWillie Poching16
15Jamie ThackrayDanny McGuire6
16Tommy SaxtonAndrew Dunemann14
John KearCoachTony Smith

Match officials

RefereeSteve Ganson (St Helens)

Match report

Played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and switched to a late-August date as part of Super League's revised calendar, the 2005 final between Hull FC and Leeds Rhinos is remembered as one of the great modern Challenge Cup deciders. The scores went back and forth throughout, with Leeds' Mark Calderwood and Marcus Bai answering Hull tries from Motu Tony, Gareth Raynor and Richard Whiting, before Leeds edged ahead late at 24-19. Hull's Paul Cooke then scored a decisive late try to snatch a dramatic 25-24 win, denying Leeds what would have been back-to-back finals success and handing Hull FC their first major trophy in a generation. The match is widely cited among the best Challenge Cup finals of the Super League era for its swing of momentum and tight finish. 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 104th Challenge Cup final played, and, under the name “Hull FC,” the 3rd Challenge Cup title for the club.

Round by round

Round 1

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Barrow Island 16–12 SkirlaughOstley Bank—5 Feb 2005
Oulton 9–6 BlackbrookBlackbrook Sports & Recreation Club—5 Feb 2005
East Hull 20–10 Castleford PanthersThree Lane Ends—5 Feb 2005
Leigh Miners Rangers 42–20 Clayton——5 Feb 2005
Elland 44–12 Essex——5 Feb 2005
Wath Brow Hornets 66–10 Gateshead Storm——5 Feb 2005
Haydock 46–12 CutsykeKing George V Playing Fields—5 Feb 2005
Hull Dockers 46–16 Dudley HillThe Willows Sports & Social Club—5 Feb 2005
Milford 42–20 UnderbankBeckett Park—5 Feb 2005
Oldham St Annes 52–10 Loughborough UniversityHigginshaw Road—5 Feb 2005
Millom 24–22 QueensBuslingthorpe Vale—5 Feb 2005
Normanton 18–16 Royal NavyVictory Stadium—5 Feb 2005
Thatto Heath Crusaders 48–14 St Albans Centurions——5 Feb 2005
Simms Cross 23–14 Widnes St Maries——5 Feb 2005
South London Storm 24–20 West London SharksNew River Stadium—5 Feb 2005
Stanningley 40–16 Walney Central——5 Feb 2005
Sharlston Rovers 22–16 Warrington Wizards——5 Feb 2005
Waterhead 36–24 Askam——5 Feb 2005
West Bowling 12–10 Leigh East——5 Feb 2005
British Army 38–8 West Hull——5 Feb 2005
Eccles & Salford Juniors 26–6 Westgate Redoubt——5 Feb 2005
Wigan St Judes 68–0 EmbassyParsons Meadow Playing Fields—5 Feb 2005
Wigan St Patricks 58–6 HensinghamClarington Park—5 Feb 2005
Bramley Buffaloes 31–10 Thornhill TrojansBramley Phoenix RFC—6 Feb 2005
Castleford Lock Lane 44–8 Royal Air Force——6 Feb 2005
Siddal 26–4 Coventry Bears——6 Feb 2005

Round 2

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Elland 14–10 Barrow IslandOstley Bank—19 Feb 2005
Haydock 48–30 NormantonKing George V Playing Fields—19 Feb 2005
Illingworth 28–26 Eccles & Salford Juniors——19 Feb 2005
Castleford Lock Lane 50–24 South London StormLock Lane Sports Centre—19 Feb 2005
Wath Brow Hornets 34–14 MilfordBeckett Park—19 Feb 2005
Oldham St Annes 18–12 Leigh Miners RangersHigginshaw Road—19 Feb 2005
Stanningley 19–14 Rochdale MayfieldSpringhill—19 Feb 2005
Sharlston Rovers 31–21 Oulton——19 Feb 2005
Siddal 29–26 Wigan St Patricks——19 Feb 2005
East Hull 38–26 Thatto Heath Crusaders——19 Feb 2005
Waterhead 15–12 British Army——19 Feb 2005
Hull Dockers 27–26 West Bowling——19 Feb 2005
Wigan St Judes 22–16 MillomParsons Meadow Playing Fields—19 Feb 2005

Round 3

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Halifax 76–0 Castleford Lock LaneThe Shay—11 Mar 2005
Oldham 46–14 Sharlston RoversLionheart Stadium—11 Mar 2005
Wath Brow Hornets 32–30 DewsburyRecreation Ground (Whitehaven)—12 Mar 2005
Barrow 42–22 East HullCraven Park (Barrow)—13 Mar 2005
Batley 40–14 St GaudensMount Pleasant—13 Mar 2005
Toulouse 58–18 BlackpoolWoodlands Memorial Ground—13 Mar 2005
Castleford 72–10 Hull DockersThe Jungle—13 Mar 2005
Doncaster 54–6 StanningleyTattersfield—13 Mar 2005
York City 50–12 EllandHuntington Stadium—13 Mar 2005
Featherstone 48–10 ThornhillLionheart Stadium—13 Mar 2005
UTC 56–6 GatesheadGateshead International Stadium—13 Mar 2005
Hunslet 46–4 HaydockKnowsley Road—13 Mar 2005
Keighley 62–14 Strela KazanCougar Park—13 Mar 2005

Round 4

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Leeds 26–22 WarringtonHeadingley8,2152 Apr 2005
Pia 53–26 KeighleyStade Municipal de Claira3002 Apr 2005
Toulouse 60–12 Wath Brow HornetsStade des Minimes5002 Apr 2005
Barrow 33–26 SheffieldCraven Park (Barrow)8933 Apr 2005
Leigh 25–8 BatleyMount Pleasant1,6613 Apr 2005
Doncaster 54–18 WorkingtonTattersfield7703 Apr 2005
Bradford 80–14 FeatherstoneLionheart Stadium3,3553 Apr 2005
Halifax 23–14 CastlefordThe Shay3,9253 Apr 2005
St Helens 26–22 HuddersfieldGalpharm Stadium7,1053 Apr 2005
London 70–4 HunsletJohn Charles Centre for Sport4503 Apr 2005
York City 32–28 OldhamBoundary Park1,2823 Apr 2005
Salford 30–24 RochdaleSpotland Stadium1,9713 Apr 2005
UTC 32–18 Hull KRStade Municipal Perpignan3,0003 Apr 2005
Hull FC 36–12 Wakefield TrinityAtlantic Solutions Stadium4,8663 Apr 2005

Round 5

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Leeds 70–0 PiaHeadingley7,7056 May 2005
St Helens 62–0 York CityKnowsley Road6,6406 May 2005
Wigan 16–10 UTCJJB Stadium5,9066 May 2005
Hull FC 26–24 BradfordKingston Communications Stadium11,3507 May 2005
Toulouse 32–18 DoncasterStade des Minimes1,2007 May 2005
Widnes 50–8 BarrowCraven Park (Barrow)2,5998 May 2005
Leigh 40–20 HalifaxThe Coliseum3,2558 May 2005
London 26–12 SalfordThe Willows2,3398 May 2005

Quarter-Final

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Leeds 32–12 LondonHeadingley9,44424 Jun 2005
Hull FC 46–14 LeighKingston Communications Stadium10,44725 Jun 2005
St Helens 75–0 WiganKnowsley Road17,10026 Jun 2005
Toulouse 40–24 WidnesStade des Minimes4,50026 Jun 2005

Semi-Final

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Hull FC 34–8 St HelensGalpharm Stadium16,17130 Jul 2005
Leeds 56–18 ToulouseGalpharm Stadium10,55331 Jul 2005

Final

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Hull FC 25–24 Leeds RhinosMillennium Stadium74,21327 Aug 2005

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