| 1970–71 Challenge Cup | |
| Highest Attendance: | 85,514 |
| Tv: | BBC |
| Season: | 1970–71 |
| Season Champs: | Leigh |
| Season Champ Name: | Winners |
| Second Place: | Leeds |
| Mvp: | Alex Murphy |
| Mvp Link: | Lance Todd Trophy |
| Prevseason Link: | 1969–70 Challenge Cup |
| Prevseason Year: | 1969–70 |
| Nextseason Link: | 1971–72 Challenge Cup |
| Nextseason Year: | 1971–72 |
The 1970–71 Challenge Cup was the 70th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup.
The final was contested by Leeds and Leigh at Wembley.
| width=150 | Date | width=250 | Team one | width=250 | Team two | width=100 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jan | Barrow | Widnes | 11-15 | ||||
| 23 Jan | Batley | Wigan | 4-13 | ||||
| 23 Jan | Blackpool | Huddersfield | 7-8 | ||||
| 23 Jan | Leeds | Oldham | 49-2 | ||||
| 23 Jan | Swinton | Huyton | 13-2 | ||||
| 23 Jan | Thames Board Mills | Hunslet | 5-49 | ||||
| 23 Jan | Warrington | Rochdale Hornets | 13-7 | ||||
| 23 Jan | Whitehaven | Castleford | 0-15 | ||||
| 23 Jan | Workington Town | St Helens | 6-8 | ||||
| 24 Jan | Dewsbury | 3-25 | |||||
| 24 Jan | Bramley | Doncaster | 6-5 | ||||
| 24 Jan | Halifax | Featherstone Rovers | 13-18 | ||||
| 24 Jan | Keighley | Hull Kingston Rovers | 9-9 | ||||
| 24 Jan | Leigh | Bradford Northern | 9-2 | ||||
| 24 Jan | Salford | Wakefield Trinity | 6-6 | ||||
| 24 Jan | York | Hull FC | 0-2 | ||||
| 27 Jan -replay | Hull Kingston Rovers | Keighley | 11-18 | ||||
| 27 Jan - replay | Wakefield Trinity | Salford | 8-15 |
| width=150 | Date | width=250 | Team one | width=250 | Team two | width=100 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb | Castleford | Keighley | 9-6 | ||||
| 20 Feb | Leeds | St Helens | 4-0 | ||||
| 21 Feb | Dewsbury | Bramley | 13-17 | ||||
| 21 Feb | Featherstone Rovers | Hull FC | 7-7 | ||||
| 21 Feb | Hunslet | Huddersfield | 0-16 | ||||
| 21 Feb | Salford | Warrington | 20-9 | ||||
| 21 Feb | Swinton | Wigan | 8-2 | ||||
| 21 Feb | Widnes | Leigh | 11-14 | ||||
| 24 Feb -replay | Hull FC | Featherstone Rovers | 12-8 |
| width=150 | Date | width=250 | Team one | width=250 | Team two | width=100 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 Mar | Bramley | Leeds | 0-14 | ||||
| 06 Mar | Castleford | Salford | 9-8 | ||||
| 07 Mar | Huddersfield | Swinton | 11-8 | ||||
| 07 Mar | Leigh | Hull FC | 8-4 |
| width=150 | Date | width=250 | Team one | width=250 | Team two | width=100 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Mar | Leeds | Castleford | 19-8 | ||||
| 03 Apr | Leigh | Huddersfield | 10-4 |
The final was played on Saturday 15 May 1971, where Leigh beat Leeds 24-7 at Wembley in front of a crowd of 85,514.[1]
The winner of the Lance Todd Trophy was Leigh's captain-coach, Alex Murphy[2] who was stretchered off after a clash with Leeds player, Syd Hynes. For his part in the "clash", Hynes was sent off,[3] [4] and became the first player to be sent-off in a Challenge Cup final after the headbutt on Leigh's Murphy.[5] [6]
This was Leigh's second Cup final win in two final appearances. It was their last appearance in a Challenge Cup final until 2023.[7]
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