For Rugby League supporters of a certain age and generation the Challenge Cup is and always will be the Holy Grail. Salford have won this competition only once and that was back in 1938 when Lance Todd’s Devils beat Barrow 7-4 at Wembley. Australian test cricketer and all time great of that sport Don Bradman presented the trophy on a historic day in our clubs history. Salford did return to Wembley the season after but a bout of illness in the team scuppered any chance of retaining the Trophy with Halifax running out worthy winners 20-3.

Todd’s side of the 1930s were a real force in the sport with the club getting the Red Devils name bestowed on them by the French media after a very successful tour to France in 1934. 

My families love affair with this famous competition started in 1969. After living in the doldrums in the early part of the decade Salford played second fiddle to local rivals Swinton who were winning Championships with the wonderful side they had. Under the leadership of chairman Brian Snape Salford were building steadily not just on the field but commercially off it too. Snape was a very clever businessman with lots of ambition and a bright vision of where he wanted the club to go. 

Salford reached Wembley in 1969 after a thrilling run to the final beating Batley, Workington, Widnes and Warrington along the way. 

My dad had just turned eleven and was excited by a trip to the National stadium. His brother Jeff was five years older and decided not to take his little brother along. He told him their would always be next year and plenty of opportunities to watch Salford there in the coming years. In a very controversial Final Castleford beat Salford 11-6. If you ever get chance to watch it back look out for what happens at the kick off to Salford winger Billy Burgess!

The following season my dad and Jeff followed Salford to Castleford for a Quarter Final clash in March 1970 at Wheldon Road. Salford were beaten 15-0. That next time that my dad had been promised never materialised. Salford won two League Championships in the 1970s but for one reason or another the Challenge Cup was always the one that got away. Tough draws away from home particularly in Yorkshire would dump Salford out on numerous occasions. Salford also under performed against teams they should have beaten. In 1979 after drawing twice with Bramley, Salford blew it in the second replay and were yet again the fall guys! Key players would miss cup ties through injury and the team just didn’t seem to perform when they needed too. 

By the time the 1980s arrived the star studded team of the previous decade had grown old, players had either retired, moved on or were coming towards the end of their career. Lots of exciting young players were playing for Salford at the start of the 80s. Paul Fletcher, Colin Whitfield, Ged Byrne, Paul O’Neill, David Stephenson and Stewart Williams to name a few. Looking back we could of been the team of the decade but sadly for one reason or another clubs came in with plenty of money to spend. Widnes and Wigan were two of the sides that went on to lift plenty of trophies as Salford drifted along losing there way.

After a few relegations and rebuild’s Salford had built some momentum by the mid 1990s. The Challenge Cup tie at the Willows on 11th February 1996 will go down in history never to be forgotten. Wigan had won the competition consecutively since 1988 and facing lower League opponents they fully expected to thump Andy Gregory’s Salford side. Every player that day had the game of his life for Salford. They didn’t just edge past Wigan but won comfortably in what was a magnificent performance. Once again though the draw wasn’t to kind to Salford and we met St.Helens in the next round who were probably the best team in the country at the time. They had a bit too much power and pace but it was another huge effort going down to defeat 26-46. Salford’s style of play was fantastic to watch at times and if you ever get chance to watch that game back the try Peter Edwards scores at the end of the first half is an absolute cracker. 

Salford reached the Semi Finals two years running in 1997 and 1998. The latter a defeat to Sheffield Eagles and a heartbreaking one to say the least. 

Alan Hunte scored a very late injury time winning try for Warrington at the Willows in the Quarter Final of 2000 after a thrilling contest that swung back and forth. 

After leaving the Willows in 2011 Salford didn’t really enjoy a good cup run until 2017. We reached the semi final once again but Wigan had to much going on to victory 27-14.

After waiting fifty one years to get to Wembley Salford finally made it to the final in 2020. The World was engulfed in a global pandemic at the time and since March all the matches had been behind closed doors. A pulsating semi final victory over Warrington with a late try from Joey Lussick set up a glorious looking final against Leeds. 

After all those years it was just so sad that the supporters couldn’t go to the final. Once again the side that had caused Salford plenty of pain in this competition got the victory 17-16 with a late Luke Gale drop goal. Perhaps in hindsight it was meant to be that way. Perhaps when Salford do finally taste the holy grail of Rugby League and lift that beautiful trophy all the supporters will be there with them.

I hope this paints a picture of how important this competition is. I know the Grand Final seems like the be all and end all in the modern era but just look back at the wonderful stories the Challenge Cup has produced. Great players, great tries, unforgettable moments and legendary performances from Lance Todd trophy winners. 

With everything that’s gone on this season to get through this Friday to a semi final would be a huge lift to everyone involved with Salford RLFC. 

They played for both.

Despite Catalan Dragons short existence there are a number of players who’ve played for both clubs including Jodie Broughton, Luke Burgess, Iain Thornley, David Berthezene, Todd Carney, Michael Dobson, Theo Fages, Richie Myler and Gil Dudson.

Previous Challenge Cup meetings.

Catalans 1

Salford 1

2010, Catalans 30 Salford 8.

2020 Salford 22 Catalans 18. Behind closed doors at St.Helens.

A match to remember Friday 18th September 2020.

Salford 22 Catalans 18.

Due to covid this match was played behind closed doors in St.Helens. 

The Dragons had made a quick start, with tries from Fouad Yaha and James Maloney helping them to a 12-0 lead.

Salford eventually enjoyed some good field position and created plenty of chances of their own. Dan Sarginson raced in after a neat offload from Krisnan Inu. 

Inu was probably the most laid back player in the Salford squad but his skills were absolutely outstanding. He made things look so easy and his goal kicking was proving very reliable. Inu grabbed a try to reduce the Dragons lead to just two points at halftime. 10-12.

When Pauli Pauli was sin binned for a challenge on Dragons half back James Maloney the French side to advantage when Matt Whitley went over.

Trailing by six points both sides went looking for more points in what was turning into a thrilling contest with neither side stamping their authority. James Greenwood reached out superbly to score before shortly after Inu levelled the match at 18-18 with a penalty goal.

With the clock counting down Inu twice attempted drop goals from quite a distance but couldn’t quite find the accuracy.

Extra time arrived and it was first to score in golden point. In the early stages Salford looked set to attempt another drop goal. Inu moved back into space to set himself and this confused the Dragons defence. Kevin Brown and Kris Welham moved the ball and the gap appeared! Sarginson raced through to grab the glory with a super try to send Salford into the semi finals.

The teams that day,

Catalans Dragons: S. Tomkins, Tierney, Langi, Folau, Yaha, Maloney, Drinkwater, Bousquet, McIlorum, Moa, Whitley, Garcia, Casty, Jullien, Baitieri, Goudemand, Kasiano.

Salford Red Devils: Sarginson, Inu, Welham, Watkins, Williams, Lolohea, Brown, Dudson, Lussick, Yates, Greenwood, McCarthy, Flanagan, Pauli, Ikahihifo, Burke, Kear. 

Referee: B. Thaler

Friday’s Match.

Over the past few weeks Paul Rowley has struggled to put a squad together and for a number of matches Salford haven’t named an eighteenth man. This weeks squad seemed to come out on time and twenty players have been named with a number of players returning from injury. 

It’s great to see Joe Mellor back in the side. We have certainly missed his pace at dummy half and having played a lot of his career in the halves Joe has plenty of skills in his locker to including a crafty kicking game. Chris Hankinson makes a surprise return but a very welcome one. The versatility and professionalism he brings to the side can be infectious. Harvey Wilson is also back after missing the trip to Wigan after failing his HIA the week before. 

Youngster Finlay Yates keeps his place in the squad after an impressive match at hooker against Wigan and George Hill who’s on loan from Castleford is in again.

Johnny Vaughan made his debut in the centre last week and put in a very brave performance getting through plenty of work.

Salford are still missing players but this weeks squad is capable of competing against the Dragons and in a one off cup tie anything can happen.

Catalans have Sam Tomkins playing well in recent weeks. The veteran fullback who’s come out of retirement scored twice last Saturday in a thrilling match against St.Helens which the Dragons lost 13-14. Two former Salford players are now playing for Catalans. Oliver Partington and Theo Fages. Partington is a very tough tackling forward who was a real crowd favourite with the Red Devils. It seems a long time ago when Fages played at Salford. The thirty year old left Salford ten years ago to join St.Helens where he had plenty of success winning the Challenge Cup in 2021 as well as two Grand Finals, 2019 against Salford and 2020 against Wigan.

It will be interesting to see who Rowley picks as his starting halves. Jayden Nikorima is back in the squad and with Kai Morgan in, there is certainly a few options. Defence will certainly be key in this match. The Dragons are a very tough side to beat on there home ground and if they get a roll on with their partisan crowd behind them they are hard to stop.

Safe travels if you are making the trip to France.

The action gets under way at 7pm uk time

Paul Whiteside.

Big thanks to Steve McCormick for the photos.