Championship Cup
Every champion of the Championship Cup, the secondary knockout cup for Championship (tier 2) clubs, run under several sponsor names along the way (Buddies Cup, Arriva Trains Cup, Northern Rail Cup) from its 2002 launch until it ceased after the 2013 final. No equivalent tier-2/3 cup competition ran again until the 1895 Cup launched fresh in 2019 — a genuine five-year gap, not the same competition renamed.
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
12 seasons with a champion on record. Leigh Centurions have won the most titles (4).
Champions
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Huddersfield Giants | Hull Kingston Rovers | Won 32-6. Launch season, sponsored as the Buddies Cup. |
| 2003 | Salford City Reds | Leigh Centurions | Won 36-19. |
| 2004 | Leigh Centurions | Hull Kingston Rovers | Won 42-14. |
| 2005 | Hull Kingston Rovers | Castleford Tigers | Won 18-16. |
| 2006 | Leigh Centurions | Hull Kingston Rovers | Won 22-18. |
| 2007 | Widnes Vikings | Whitehaven | Won 54-6. |
| 2008 | Salford City Reds | Doncaster | Won 60-0; single-sourced, not independently cross-checked this round. |
| 2009 | Widnes Vikings | Barrow Raiders | Won 34-18. |
| 2010 | Batley Bulldogs | Widnes Vikings | Won 25-24. |
| 2011 | Leigh Centurions | Halifax | Won 20-16. |
| 2012 | Halifax | Featherstone Rovers | Won 21-12. |
| 2013 | Leigh Centurions | Sheffield Eagles | Won 43-28. Final edition — the competition ceased after this season, with no equivalent tier-2/3 cup until the 1895 Cup launched fresh in 2019. |
A note on sourcing
The 2008 final score (Salford City Reds 60-0 Doncaster) is single-sourced and was not independently cross-checked this round; the winner is not in doubt.
Sources
← All Rugby League competitions
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