| 2006 Powergen Challenge Cup | |
| Pixels: | 150 |
| Duration: | 8 Rounds |
| Highest Attendance: | 65,187 |
| Tv: |  BBC Sport |
| Biggest Home Win: | Leigh East 86-10 Askam |
| Biggest Away Win: | Ovenden 10-50 York City Knights |
| Season: | 2006 |
| Season Champs: | St. Helens |
| Season Champ Name: | Winners |
| Second Place: | Huddersfield Giants |
| Mvp: | Sean Long |
| Mvp Link: | Lance Todd Trophy |
| Prevseason Link: | 2005 Challenge Cup |
| Prevseason Year: | 2005 |
| Nextseason Link: | 2007 Challenge Cup |
| Nextseason Year: | 2007 |
The 2006 Challenge Cup (also known as the Powergen Challenge Cup due to sponsorship from Powergen) was the 105th tournament played for rugby league's Challenge Cup. It features teams from across Europe including England, Scotland, Wales, France and Russia.
The competition started in January 2006 with the preliminary round where the Gloucestershire Warriors from the Rugby League Conference surprised an established Pennine League team in Illingworth. The final was scheduled to be played at the new Wembley Stadium but in March 2006 it became apparent that the stadium would not be ready for the final on 26 August so it was switched to Twickenham.
In the final St. Helens proved too strong for the Huddersfield Giants, winning by 42 points to 12. It was Huddersfield's first final since 1953, when they also faced St Helens.
(week ending 5 February)
Sees the introduction of the major amateur clubs from the National Conference League and the teams from National League 3
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thornhill Trojans | 30-12 | Eastmoor Dragons | |
| 2 | West Bowling | 15-14 | Halton Simms Cross | |
| 3 | Bramley Buffaloes | 30-12 | Thatto Heath Crusaders | |
| 4 | Clayton | 24-32 | Warrington Wizards | |
| 5 | Royal Navy | 16-38 | Wigan St Patricks | |
| 6 | Eccles & Salford | 10-12 | Hunslet Warriors | |
| 7 | Leigh East | 86-10 | Askam | |
| 8 | Shaw Cross Sharks ARLFC | 32-22 | Oldham St Annes | |
| 9 | Skirlaugh | 12-8 | Normanton Knights | |
| 10 | East Leeds | 28-12 | Milford Marlins | |
| 11 | Ovenden | 32-28 | Bank Quay Bulls | |
| 12 | Bradford Dudley Hill | 42-12 | Gateshead Storm | |
| 13 | York Acorn | 29-22 | Ince Rose Bridge | |
| 14 | Royal Air Force | 13-42 | Siddal | |
| 15 | Wigan St Judes | 12-33 | Kells | |
| 16 | Walney Central | 18-0 | Ideal Isberg | |
| 17 | East Hull | 46-0 | Castleford Lock Lane | |
| 18 | Leigh Miners Rangers | 76-0 | Bransholme | |
| 19 | Gloucestershire Warriors | 20-36 | Blackbrook | |
| 20 | Seaton Rangers | 34-4 | Rochdale Mayfield | |
| 21 | Barrow Island | 32-18 | Stanley Rangers | |
| 22 | Crosfields | 20-28 | Oulton Raiders | |
| 23 | Saddleworth Rangers | 33-32 | Hull Dockers | |
| 24 | Widnes St Maries | 40-12 | St Albans Centurions | |
| 25 | The Army | 38-18 | West Hull |
(week ending 19 February)
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leigh Miners Rangers | 38-26 | Oulton Raiders | |
| 2 | Warrington Wizards | 20-22 | Bradford Dudley Hill | |
| 3 | East Hull | 10-8 | Wigan St Patricks | |
| 4 | Hunslet Warriors | 30-18 | Siddal | |
| 5 | East Leeds | 22-46 | Widnes St Maries | |
| 6 | York Acorn | 35-16 | Seaton Rangers | |
| 7 | Walney Central | 0-28 | Saddleworth Rangers | |
| 8 | Ovenden | 38-24 | Blackbrook | |
| 9 | Skirlaugh | 25-12 | Wath Brow Hornets | |
| 10 | Bramley Buffaloes | 22-28 | Shaw Cross Sharks ARLFC | |
| 11 | Barrow Island | 18-28 | Kells | |
| 12 | The Army | 14-20 | West Bowling | |
| 13 | Leigh East | 14-32 | Thornhill Trojans |
(week ending 12 March)
Round 3 sees the introduction of the National League 1 and 2 teams and teams from France and Russia. Amateurs Thornhill Trojans provided the first surprise result by beating national 2 team Workington Town. Late season snow caused a number of postponements on the Sunday.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leigh Miners Rangers | 6-34 | Rochdale Hornets | |
| 2 | Whitehaven | 72-0 | Pia | |
| 3 | Thornhill Trojans | 16-12 | Workington Town | |
| 4 | London Skolars | 20-10 | Gateshead Thunder | |
| 5 | Batley Bulldogs | 24-10 | Limoux Grizzlies | |
| 6 | Blackpool Panthers | 10-18 | Toulouse Olympique | |
| 7 | Celtic Crusaders | 64-4 | Lokomotiv Moscow | |
| 8 | Dewsbury Rams | 68-0 | Bradford Dudley Hill | |
| 9 | Doncaster Lakers | 34-18 | Shaw Cross Sharks ARLFC | |
| 10 | East Hull | 2-20 | Hunslet Hawks | |
| 11 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 62-1 | York Acorn | |
| 12 | Hunslet Warriors | 0-38 | Widnes Vikings | |
| 13 | Leigh Centurions | 80-0 | Kazan Arrows | |
| 14 | Oldham R.L.F.C. | 34-10 | Saddleworth Rangers | |
| 15 | Skirlaugh | 14-36 | Featherstone Rovers | |
| 16 | Swinton Lions | 42-18 | Sheffield Eagles | |
| 17 | Kells | 6-26 | Halifax | |
| 18 | Ovenden | 10-50 | York City Knights | |
| 19 | West Bowling | 0-34 | Keighley Cougars | |
| 20 | Widnes St Maries | 14-30 | Barrow Raiders |
(week ending 2 April)
Round 4 sees the introduction of the Super League teams. Some matches are now televised live by the BBC. In this round the matches chosen for transmission were at Bradford and Wakefield.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Helens | 56-6 | Doncaster Lakers | |
| 2 | Bradford Bulls | 23-12 | Hull | |
| 3 | Catalans Dragons | 66-0 | Thornhill | |
| 4 | Rochdale Hornets | 32-8 | Celtic Crusaders | |
| 5 | Barrow Raiders | 40-8 | Oldham R.L.F.C. | |
| 6 | Batley Bulldogs | 16-28 | Whitehaven | |
| 7 | Featherstone Rovers | 44-10 | Keighley Cougars | |
| 8 | Halifax | 8-40 | Huddersfield Giants | |
| 9 | Harlequins | 48-6 | Toulouse Olympique | |
| 10 | Hunslet Hawks | 0-22 | Hull Kingston Rovers | |
| 11 | Leigh Centurions | 12-36 | Leeds Rhinos | |
| 12 | Salford City Reds | 32-4 | Dewsbury Rams | |
| 13 | Swinton Lions | 18-20 | York City Knights | |
| 14 | Wakefield Trinity Wildcats | 22-32 | Wigan Warriors | |
| 15 | Warrington Wolves | 56-0 | London Skolars | |
| 16 | Widnes Vikings | 14-4 | Castleford Tigers |
(week ending 21 May)
No new teams enter at this stage. In this round the matches chosen for transmission were at St Helens and Widnes.
| Tie no | Home team | Score | Away team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salford City Reds | 16-4 | Wigan Warriors | |
| 2 | Huddersfield Giants | 38-4 | York City Knights | |
| 3 | Widnes Vikings | 16-34 | Catalans Dragons | |
| 4 | Leeds Rhinos | 66-0 | Rochdale Hornets | |
| 5 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 44-12 | Featherstone Rovers | |
| 6 | Harlequins | 82-8 | Barrow Raiders | |
| 7 | Warrington Wolves | 46-2 | Whitehaven | |
| 8 | St. Helens | 42-18 | Bradford Bulls |
(week ending 4 June)
In this round the matches chosen for transmission were at Hull KR and Leeds. Hull KR pulled off a major surprise when they beat Superleague team Warrington Wolves.
(week ending 30 July)
Unlike earlier rounds, matches from now on will be played on neutral grounds. Huddersfield have the chance to win the Cup for the first time in 1953 when they beat this year's final opponents St Helens.
The final was originally scheduled to be played at Wembley Stadium though because of the construction delay was alternatively held at Twickenham Stadium, London.
Teams:
St Helens: Paul Wellens, Ade Gardner, Jamie Lyon, Willie Talau, Francis Meli; Leon Pryce, Sean Long, Paul Anderson, Keiron Cunningham, Jason Cayless, Jon Wilkin, Paul Sculthorpe, Jason Hooper
Subs: Lee Gilmour, James Roby, James Graham, Maurie Fa'asavalu Coach: Daniel Anderson
Huddersfield: Paul Reilly, Martin Aspinwall, Stephen Wild, Michael De Vere, Stuart Donlan, Chris Thorman (c), Robbie Paul, Paul Jackson, Brad Drew, Jim Gannon, Chris Nero, Andy Raleigh, Stuart Jones
Subs: Paul Smith, Eorl Crabtree, Steve Snitch, Wayne McDonald Coach: Jon Sharp
| Next: 2007 |
The tournament was screened in the United Kingdom by the BBC.
| Round | BBC live match | |
|---|---|---|
| Round 4 | ||
| Round 5 | ||
| Quarter finals | ||
| Semi finals | St. Helens v Hull Kingston Rovers Leeds Rhinos v Huddersfield Giants | |
| Final | St. Helens v Huddersfield Giants |