Challenge Cup - Lance Todd Trophy

Details from the Rugby Football League - Challenge Cup section

The Lance Todd Trophy is presented to the Man of the Match at the Challenge Cup Final. The winner is selected by the members of the Rugby League Writer’s Association present at the game and he is presented with the trophy at a celebratory dinner at The Willows, home of the Salford City Reds. The Trophy belongs to the Red Devils Association, the official body representing ex-Salford players, and it has been awarded to the Man of the Match at Challenge Cup Finals since 1946. The trophy was introduced in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident on November 14th. 1942, while returning from Home Guard duties. Picture taken from the Album section of www.wiganworld.co.uk - the Wigan site for Wigan people.

The trophy was the idea of Harry Sunderland (a former Australian Tour manager) who, along with Robert Anderton J.P. (a Warrington director) and John Bapty (of the Yorkshire Evening Post) was a trustee of the fund raised in 1945. The annual replicas are provided by the Red Devils' Association (the organisation of past and present members of Salford City Reds) and the presentations are made each year at the Red Devils' Annual Dinner.

The Man of the Match does not always come from the winning team. Bradford Northern's Frank Whitcombe was the first Lance Todd Trophy winner from a losing team in 1948, while the same fate also befell Hull's Tommy Harris (1960), Hunslet's Brian Gabbitas (as a joint winner in 1965) and Bradford Bulls' Robbie Paul (1996). In Leeds Rhinos' last two losing Final appearances in 2003 and 2005, Gary Connolly and Kevin Sinfield respectively have won the Lance Todd Trophy.

Whitcombe is also the oldest winner while Peter Ramsden is the youngest, scoring two tries on his 19th birthday to help Huddersfield claim the Challenge Cup in 1953.

St Helens' Sean Long made history in the 2006 Final by becoming the first player to win the Lance Todd Trophy three times (he also won in 2001 and 2004). "I'm really honoured to have achieved it that many times," said Long. "It's the stuff that dreams are made of." Three players have won the award twice: Warrington's Gerry Helme in 1950 and 1954; Wigan's Andy Gregory in 1988 and 1990; Wigan's Martin Offiah in 1992 and 1994.