1971–72 Player's No.6 Trophy Explained

1971–72 Player's No.6 Trophy
Structure:National knockout championship
Season Champs:Halifax
Season Champ Name:Winners
Runner-Up Name:Runner-up
Second Place:Wakefield Trinity
Nextseason Link:1972–73 Player's No.6 Trophy
Nextseason Year:1972–73
No Of Teams:32

The 1971–72 Player's No.6 Trophy was a British rugby league knockout tournament. It was the first season that the competition was held.

Halifax won the trophy by beating Wakefield Trinity by the score of 22-11 in the final. The match was played at Odsal in the City of Bradford. The attendance was 7975 and receipts were £2545.

Background

The council of the Rugby Football League had been investigating the possibility of another knock-out competition for several seasons, to be similar to the association football league cup competition played for by the Scottish Football Association (first competed for in 1946-47) and The Football Association (first competed for 1961). It was to be a similar knock-out structure to, and to be secondary to, the Challenge Cup. The council voted to introduce the new competition at the same time as sports sponsorship was becoming more prevalent and as a result John Player and Sons, a division of Imperial Tobacco Company, became sponsors, and the competition never became widely known as the "League Cup"

The competition ran from 1971–72 until 1995-96 and was initially intended for the professional clubs plus the two amateur BARLA National Cup finalists. In later seasons the entries were expanded to take in other amateur and French teams. The competition was dropped, the main reason being given was due to "fixture congestion", when Rugby League became a summer sportThe Rugby League season always (until the onset of "Summer Rugby" in 1996) ran from around August-time through to around May-time and this "League Cup" competition always took place early in the season, in the Autumn, with the final usually taking place in late January

The competition was variably known, by its sponsorship name, as the Player's No.6 Trophy (1971–1977), the John Player Trophy (1977–1983), the John Player Special Trophy (1983–1989), and the Regal Trophy in 1989.

Competition and results

[1]

Round 1 - First round

[2]

Involved 16 matches and 32 clubs

width=10 abbr="No" Game Nowidth=110 abbr="Date"Fixture datewidth=150 abbr="Home team"Home teamwidth=5 abbr="space" width=20 abbr="Score" Scorewidth=5 abbr="space" width=150 abbr="Away team" Away teamwidth=150 abbr="Venue" Venuewidth=30 abbr="Att" Attwidth=30 abbr="Rec" Recwidth=20 abbr="Notes" Noteswidth=30 abbr="Ref" Ref
1Fri 12 Nov 1971Thames Board Mills7-27HuddersfieldWilderspool11751, 2[3]
2Fri 12 Nov 1971Ace Amateurs9-33WiganCentral Park26783, 4[4]
3Sat 13 Nov 1971Barrow10-9SwintonCraven Park
4Sat 13 Nov 1971Dewsbury5-5Hull F.C.Crown Flatt[5]
5Sat 13 Nov 1971Huyton5-18KeighleyAlt Park, Huyton
6Sat 13 Nov 1971Leeds18-8LeighHeadingley
7Sat 13 Nov 1971St. Helens37-7Featherstone RoversKnowsley Road3000[6]
8Sat 13 Nov 1971Workington Town0-10Blackpool BoroughDerwent Park[7]
9Sun 14 Nov 1971Batley5-11YorkMount Pleasant
10Sun 14 Nov 1971Bradford Northern8-12Rochdale HornetsOdsal
11Sun 14 Nov 1971Doncaster4-16BramleyBentley Road Stadium/Tattersfield
12Sun 14 Nov 1971Hull Kingston Rovers17-14SalfordCraven Park (1)
13Sun 14 Nov 1971Hunslet7-7CastlefordParkside
14Sun 14 Nov 1971Warrington9-16HalifaxWilderspool[8]
15Sun 14 Nov 1971Whitehaven5-0OldhamRecreation Ground
16Sun 14 Nov 1971Widnes10-10Wakefield TrinityNaughton Park[9] [10]

Round 1 - First round Replays

Involved 3 matches and 6 clubs

width=10 abbr="No" Game Nowidth=110 abbr="Date"Fixture datewidth=150 abbr="Home team"Home teamwidth=5 abbr="space" width=20 abbr="Score" Scorewidth=5 abbr="space" width=150 abbr="Away team" Away teamwidth=150 abbr="Venue" Venuewidth=30 abbr="Att" Attwidth=30 abbr="Rec" Recwidth=20 abbr="Notes" Noteswidth=30 abbr="Ref" Ref
1Wed 17 Nov 1971Castleford9-8Hunslet
2Wed 17 Nov 1971Wakefield Trinity12-10WidnesBelle Vue
3Thu 18 Nov 1971Hull F.C.22-10DewsburyBoulevard

Round 2 - Second round

[11]

Involved 8 matches and 16 clubs

width=10 abbr="No" Game Nowidth=110 abbr="Date"Fixture datewidth=150 abbr="Home team"Home teamwidth=5 abbr="space" width=20 abbr="Score" Scorewidth=5 abbr="space" width=150 abbr="Away team" Away teamwidth=150 abbr="Venue" Venuewidth=30 abbr="Att" Attwidth=30 abbr="Rec" Recwidth=20 abbr="Notes" Noteswidth=30 abbr="Ref" Ref
1Fri 26 Nov 1971Castleford11-13Leeds
2Sat 27 Nov 1971Barrow10-6HuddersfieldCraven Park
3Sat 27 Nov 1971Halifax5-3YorkThrum Hall
4Sat 27 Nov 1971Hull Kingston Rovers11-18WiganCraven Park (1)
5Sat 27 Nov 1971Whitehaven0-12St. HelensRecreation Ground1500
6Sun 28 Nov 1971Bramley5-10Wakefield TrinityMcLaren Field
7Sun 28 Nov 1971Hull F.C.36-10KeighleyBoulevard
8Sun 28 Nov 1971Rochdale Hornets4-14Blackpool BoroughAthletic Grounds

Round 3 -Quarter-finals

[12]

Involved 4 matches with 8 clubs

width=10 abbr="No" Game Nowidth=110 abbr="Date"Fixture datewidth=150 abbr="Home team"Home teamwidth=5 abbr="space" width=20 abbr="Score" Scorewidth=5 abbr="space" width=150 abbr="Away team" Away teamwidth=150 abbr="Venue" Venuewidth=30 abbr="Att" Attwidth=30 abbr="Rec" Recwidth=20 abbr="Notes" Noteswidth=30 abbr="Ref" Ref
1Sat 11 Dec 1971Halifax36-13BarrowThrum Hall
2Sat 11 Dec 1971Leeds12-12WiganHeadingley
3Sat 11 Dec 1971St. Helens33-5Hull F.C.Knowsley Road3467
4Sun 12 Dec 1971Wakefield Trinity18-12Blackpool BoroughBelle Vue

Round 3 -Quarter-finals - replays

Involved 1 match with 2 clubs

width=10 abbr="No" Game Nowidth=110 abbr="Date"Fixture datewidth=150 abbr="Home team"Home teamwidth=5 abbr="space" width=20 abbr="Score" Scorewidth=5 abbr="space" width=150 abbr="Away team" Away teamwidth=150 abbr="Venue" Venuewidth=30 abbr="Att" Attwidth=30 abbr="Rec" Recwidth=20 abbr="Notes" Noteswidth=30 abbr="Ref" Ref
1Wed 15 Dec 1971Wigan5-12LeedsCentral Park

Round 4 – Semi-finals

[13]

Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs

width=10 abbr="No" Game Nowidth=110 abbr="Date"Fixture datewidth=150 abbr="Home team"Home teamwidth=5 abbr="space" width=20 abbr="Score" Scorewidth=5 abbr="space" width=150 abbr="Away team" Away teamwidth=150 abbr="Venue" Venuewidth=30 abbr="Att" Attwidth=30 abbr="Rec" Recwidth=20 abbr="Notes" Noteswidth=30 abbr="Ref" Ref
1Sat 18 Dec 1971Wakefield Trinity14-9St. HelensBelle Vue3964
2Sat 8 Jan 1972Leeds7-15HalifaxHeadingley

Final

width=10 abbr="No" Game Nowidth=110 abbr="Date"Fixture datewidth=150 abbr="Home team"Home teamwidth=5 abbr="space" width=20 abbr="Score" Scorewidth=5 abbr="space" width=150 abbr="Away team" Away teamwidth=150 abbr="Venue" Venuewidth=45 abbr="Att" Attwidth=60 abbr="Rec" Recwidth=20 abbr="Notes" Noteswidth=30 abbr="Ref" Ref
Saturday 22 January 1972Halifax22-11Wakefield TrinityOdsal797525455[14] [15]

Teams and scorers

[14] [15]

width=280 abbr=winnerHalifaxwidth=60 abbr="Number"No.width=280 abbr=runner-upWakefield Trinity
teams
Tony Hepworth1Geoff Wraith
David Rayner2Keith Slater
Phil Davies3Jack Marston
David Willicombe4John Hegarty
Mike Kelly5Mick Major
Bruce Burton6David Topliss
Gordon Baker (c)7Kevin Harkin
Terry Dewhirst8David Jeanes
Roy Hawksley9Mick Morgan
David Callon10Steve Lyons
Terry Fogerty11Peter Harrison
John Martin12Rob Valentine
Tony Halmshaw13Neil Fox
John Sanderson (for Gordon Baker)14Bernard Ward (for Geoff Wraith)
Derek Reeves (for David Callon)15Ray Spencer (for Peter Harrison)
Les PearceCoachNeil Fox
22score11
7HT8
Scorers
Tries
Phil Davies (1)TKeith Slater (1)
David Willicombe (1)TDavid Topliss (1)
Mike Kelly (1)TRob Valentine (1)
David Callon (1)T
Goals
Bruce Burton (5)GNeil Fox (1)
RefereeS. Shepherd (Oldham)
Man of the matchBruce Burton - Halifax -
Competition SponsorPlayer's No.6
Scoring - Try = three points - Goal = two points - Drop goal = one point (reduced from this season)

Prize money

As part of the sponsorship deal and funds, the prize money awarded to the competing teams for this season was as follows:[16]

width=100 abbr="Finish Position" Finish Positionwidth=110 abbr="Cash Prize"Cash Prizewidth=50 abbr="No. receiving prize"No. receiving prizewidth=100 abbr="Total Cash"Total Cash
Winner£5,0001£5,000
Runner-up£2,5001£2,500
Semi-finalist£1,0002£2,000
Loser in Rd 3—4—
Loser in Rd 2—8—
Loser in Rd 1—16—
Grand Total£9,500

The road to success

Player's Top Try Contest

[2]

As part of the sponsorship deal, a Top Try Contest was held. This involved all the professional first round Players No.6 Trophy Losers.

One match was played by each club and the four clubs scoring the most tries received prize money.

This competition was not a success and was only held for this season.

This series Involved 7 matches and 14 clubs.

width=10 abbr="No" Game Nowidth=110 abbr="Date"Fixture datewidth=150 abbr="Home team"Home teamwidth=5 abbr="space" width=20 abbr="Score" Scorewidth=5 abbr="space" width=150 abbr="Away team" Away teamwidth=150 abbr="Venue" Venuewidth=30 abbr="Home Tries" Home Trieswidth=30 abbr="Away Tries" Away Trieswidth=20 abbr="Notes" Noteswidth=30 abbr="Ref" Ref
1Fri 26 Nov 1971Widnes32-3HuytonNaughton Park81
2Fri 26 Nov 1971Salford38-7WarringtonThe Willows101
3Sat 27 Nov 1971Doncaster12-30DewsburyBentley Road Stadium/Tattersfield28
4Sat 27 Nov 1971Workington Town5-9Bradford NorthernDerwent Park11
5Sun 28 Nov 1971Featherstone Rovers54-0BatleyPost Office Road12
6Sun 28 Nov 1971Oldham5-11LeighWatersheddings11
7Sun 28 Nov 1971Swinton53-6BatleyStation Road132

The table

The club scoring the most tries finished top.

In the case of a tie, the deciding items were :-

The table showing finishing positions and the awards were as follows :

width=10 abbr="Place" Placewidth=100 abbr="Position"Positionwidth=150 abbr="Team"Teamwidth=5 abbr="space" width=20 abbr="Number of Tries" Number of Trieswidth=5 abbr="space" width=100 abbr="Prize Money"Prize Moneywidth=100 abbr="Points Scored" Points Scoredwidth=100 abbr="Points Against" Points Against
1WinnersSwinton13500536
2Second PlaceFeatherstone Rovers12250540
3Third PlaceSalford10150387
4Fourth PlaceWidnes8100323
5Dewsbury83012
6Doncaster21230
7Batley2653
8Leigh1115
9Bradford Northern195
10Warrington1738
11Workington Town159
12Oldham1511
13Huyton1332
14Batley0054
Note * Widnes took 4th place ahead of Dewsbury as they scored more points - and therefore were awarded the prize money

Notes and comments

1 * Thames Board Mills were a Junior (amateur) club from Warrington
2 * Thames Board Mills opted to play the match at Wilderspool, the home of Warrington3 * Ace Amateurs were a Junior (amateur) club from Hull
4 * Ace Amateurs were drawn at Home but agreed to switch the venue to Central Park, the home ground of Wigan
5 * Odsal is the home ground of Bradford Northern from 1890 to 2010 and the current capacity is in the region of 26,000, The ground is famous for hosting the largest attendance at an English sports ground when 102,569 (it was reported that over 120,000 actually attended as several areas of boundary fencing collapse under the sheer weight of numbers) attended the replay of the Challenge Cup final on 5 May 1954 to see Halifax v Warrington

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rugby League Project.
  2. Web site: Wigan "Cherry and White" archived JP R1 results.
  3. Web site: Huddersfield Rugby League Heritage.
  4. Web site: Wigan "Cherry and White" archived results.
  5. Web site: HULL&PROUD - Stats - Fixtures & Results.
  6. Web site: Saints Heritage Society - History - Season 1896-97.
  7. Book: J C Lindley and D W Armitage. 100 Years of Rugby. The History of Wakefield Trinity 1873-1973. 1973. Wakefield Trinity Centenary Committee. 0 35617852 8.
  8. Web site: Warrington Wolves - Results Archive - 1897.
  9. Web site: Wakefield until I die.
  10. Web site: Widnes Vikings - History - Season In Review - 1896-97.
  11. Web site: Wigan "Cherry and White" archived JP R2 results.
  12. Web site: Wigan "Cherry and White" archived JP R3 results.
  13. Web site: Wigan "Cherry and White" archived JP R4 results.
  14. Book: Raymond Fletcher and David Howes. Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-1991. 1990. Queen Anne Press. 0 35617851 X.
  15. Book: Raymond Fletcher and David Howes. Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1991-1992. 1991. Queen Anne Press. 0 35617852 8.
  16. Book: Fletcher . Raymond . Howes . David . Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93 . 1992 . Headline Publishing Group . London . 978-0-7472-7906-8 . 396.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "1971–72 Player's No.6 Trophy".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.