The Championship Cup,, and previously known as the National League Cup, was a rugby league football competition for clubs in the United Kingdom'sRugby League Championships. Although the French club Toulouse Olympique competed in the Championship from 2009 through 2011, they never participated in the cup until 2012 after they had left the Championship. The Cup's last season was 2013, after which it was replaced by the 1895 Cup.
History
The Trans-Pennine Cup was a short-lived competition for professional British rugby league clubs outside Super League. It was played for during the period in which all non-Super League professional clubs were grouped into a single competition, the Northern Ford Premiership. As part of the redevelopment of the Northern Ford Premiership competition; the NationalLeague cup was first held in 2002. It was known as the Buddies Cup, after its sponsor, a soft drinks manufacturer. Eighteen teams took part divided into three groups of six. The Northern Ford Premiership was replaced by National Leagues One and Two in 2003. The competition was known as the Arriva Trains Cup after sponsor Arriva Trains Northern). The twenty National League teams were divided into four groups of five teams each, while in 2004 there were five groups of four teams each. Northern Rail became the competition's sponsor in 2005 and the name Northern Rail Cup was adopted. Four teams from the then National League Three also entered the competition. There were no cross-group games in the 2005 competition; each team therefore played only six games in the group stages, with the top team from each of the first five groups progressing to the quarter-final directly. The second-placed team in each of these groups, plus the top team from group six played an additional round to determine the remaining three spots in the quarter-finals. For 2006 there were seven groups. Groups one to six comprised the 22 teams in National Leagues One and Two and the two southern National League Three teams, Hemel Stags and St Albans Centurions. There were four teams in each regional division. The top two teams from groups one to six and the best three third-placed teams qualified for the last sixteen knock out stage along with the winner of group seven. Group seven comprised northern National League Three teams that choose to enter, and included three teams: Bramley Buffaloes, Warrington Wizards and Dewsbury Celtic. In 2007 the competition adopted a new points system: Win – three points; Draw – two points; Loss by 12 points or fewer – one point. In 2009, the Northern Rail Nines tournament was started. Teams not involved in the Northern Rail Cup Final entered a rugby league nines event with the trophy and plate final played as curtain raisers to the Northern Rail Cup Final at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool.
10 John Wilshere vs Doncaster 2008 equaling the all-time record for goals kicked in any final
Most points
42 Neil Turley at Chorley Lynx 2004
Highest score
Gateshead Thunder 4 vs 100 Batley Bulldogs – 2010
Highest away score
Gateshead Thunder 4 vs 100 Batley Bulldogs – 2010
Closest score
Batley Bulldogs 25 vs Widnes Vikings 24 – 2010
Most Final appearances
Leigh Centurions have contested 5 Championship Cup Finals.
Most Competition Wins
Leigh Centurions have won 4 Championship Cup Finals, from 5 final appearances.
Broadcasting rights
broadcast a limited number of Championship Cup matches. In 2012 the rights passed to Premier Sports. Setanta Sports Australia broadcast live Northern Rail Cup matches in Australia.
