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110 England Rugby League Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts

How much do you know about England Rugby League? This category is for trivia questions and answers related to England Rugby League (Sports). Each one is filled with fun facts and interesting information.
Related Questions & Answers:   Rugby League    NRL Teams    UK   
1 What was the name of St. Helen's home ground from its opening in 1890 until its renaming in 2008?
Answer: Knowsley Road

St. Helens, nickname "The Saints", began playing at Knowsley Road in 1890. There were two teams competing in the same town, the other called St. Helens Recs between 1913 and 1939. St. Helens became one of the consistently top teams with the change to summer rugby and SuperLeague in 1996. With sponsorship from GPW Recruitment, the stadium's name was changed to GPW Recruitment in 2008.
  From Quiz: Rugby League Stadium Names
2 What is the official foundation date for Warrington RLFC?
Answer: 1879

Originally known as 'Warrington Zingari', Warrington RFC (later Warrington RLFC) was formed by Timothy Grix of Chatburn. Their first game was against Walton in Liverpool.

Their original HQ was at the White Hart Hotel while the first ground used by the side was located on Sankey Street. Their first home game was against Oughtrighton.
  From Quiz: Warrington Wolves
3 Who were crowned champions of the new Rugby League Football Championship in 1895-96?
Answer: Manningham

Formed in 1880, Manningham were a founding member of the new Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895. The new code was a breakaway from the Rugby Football Union and would eventually stand apart from rugby union, with new rules adapted to help supporters recognise the differences between the two codes.
Manningham RLFC became the first ever rugby league champions by finishing one point ahead of Halifax in the first season of rugby league football. A 4-0 over Hunslet in the final game of the season sealed their one and only title.
For the next five years, there was no national Rugby League competition, as clubs supported the use of regional competitions due to excessive travel.
Meanwhile, Manningham only played Rugby League until 1903, when they decided to change codes to Association Football and became Bradford City AFC.
  From Quiz: Rugby League in England
4 The Rugby League Challenge Cup was first contested in what year?
Answer: 1897

The 1st winners were Batley, beating St Helens by 10-3. The game was held at Headingley on May 1, 1897.
  From Quiz: Rugby League Challenge Cup
5 What are the traditional colours of the Saints?
Answer: White with a red 'V'

Saints very first kit wasn't red and white at all. In fact it was blue. They soon changed to the familiar Red 'V'.
  From Quiz: St Helens RLFC
6 Who won the Grand Final in 1998?
Answer: Wigan Warriors

In 1998, Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos contested the inaugural Grand Final. Jason Robinson's try and three Andy Farrell goals got the ponits for Wigan. The final score was 10 - 4.
  From Quiz: Grand Final and Challenge Cup
7 Who won the ESL title in 1998?
Answer: Wigan

Wigan beat Leeds 10-4.
  From Quiz: English Super League
8 Which Rugby League team began playing at Mount Pleasant in 1895?
Answer: Batley

Batley, later called Batley Bulldogs, began playing at Mount Pleasant in 1895. They became semi-professional in 1921. Their old nickname was "The Gallant Youths", but since the advent of summer rugby league, they were called Batley Bulldogs. Batley were a strong team in the 1920s. They defeated Wigan 13-7 in the Championship Final in 1924. For most of the decades since, they have been in the lower divisions. They had to wait until 2010 for their next Cup victory, beating Widnes Vikings 25-24 in the Northern Rail Cup.
    Your options: [ Batley ] [ Hunslet ] [ Dewsbury ] [ York ]
  From Quiz: Rugby League Stadium Names
9 When did Warrington resign from the RFU and join the newly formed 'Northern Union'?
Answer: 1895

Warrington joined 21 other teams from Lancashire and Yorkshire in resigning from the Rugby Football Union and joining the newly formed Rugby Northern Union (later to be known as rugby league) on August 28th, 1895.

Their first season in the newly formed competition saw Warrington struggle to only 13th in the league.
  From Quiz: Warrington Wolves
10 The first-ever Challenge Cup competition was held during 1896-97. Batley and St. Helens made the final, which was played where?
Answer: Headingley

56 clubs entered the first Challenge Cup. Eventually Batley and St. Helens made it to the final, played on April 24, 1897, at Headingley in Leeds.
A crowd of 13,492 watched Batley beat St. Helens 10-3 to become the first-ever winners of the Challenge Cup. Batley would go on to successfully defend the Cup in 1898, beating Bradford FC 7-0 in the final.
    Your options: [ Headingley ] [ Old Trafford ] [ Wembley ] [ Elland Road ]
  From Quiz: Rugby League in England
11 The 1st Challenge Cup final to be held at Wembley (London) was in 1929. Who were the eventual winners?
Answer: Wigan

Wigan beat Dewsbury 13-2 in front of a crowd of 41,500.
  From Quiz: Rugby League Challenge Cup
12 On the 27th December 1992, Saints thrashed rivals Wigan 41-6. Who was the shirt sponsor for the Saints that day?
Answer: Coors

The sponsorship was just for that one game. Many fans wanted Saints to keep the sponsor for good after it brought such luck.
  From Quiz: St Helens RLFC
13 Who came runner-up in the 1998 Grand Final?
Answer: Leeds Rhinos

In 1998, Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos contested the inaugural Grand Final. Richie Blackmore's lone try was the only points for Leeds. The final score was 10 - 4.
  From Quiz: Grand Final and Challenge Cup
14 Bradford lost the ESL final in 1999. Who won?
Answer: St Helens

St Helens beat Bradford 8-6. St Helens were inaugural Super League champions in 1996.
  From Quiz: English Super League
15 After 97 years at Central Park. where did Wigan Warriors move to in 1999?
Answer: JJB Stadium

By 1895, Wigan had been playing at a ground on Prescott Street, moving to Springfield Park in 1901, then moving to Central Park in 1902. They had a very successful history at Central Park. Their nickname was "The Riversiders" until 1996 when they became Wigan Warriors playing in the Super League. They moved to the newly built JJB Stadium in 1999, named after their sponsors. It was renamed DW Stadium after the sponsor Dave Wheelan in 2009.
  From Quiz: Rugby League Stadium Names
16 When did Warrington win their first Challenge Cup?
Answer: 1905

Warrington have a long history of success in the Challenge Cup. They made their first final in 1901, but were beaten by Batley 6-0, losing the final at Headingley. Another final followed in 1904, this time losing to Halifax 8-3 at The Willows. It was third-time lucky for Warrington as they beat Hull Kingston Rovers 6-0 at Headingley.
  From Quiz: Warrington Wolves
17 The Northern Rugby League was formed for the new 1901-02 season after the top sides from Lancashire and Yorkshire resigned. Who would win both the new competition and also the Challenge Cup in 1902?
Answer: Broughton Rovers

1901-02 was the first time that the term 'rugby league', after the top 7 sides from the Lancashire and Yorkshire competitions resigned to merge into a central Northern Rugby League competition.
Broughton Rovers dominated rugby league in 1901-02, easily winning the new rugby league competition, 12 points ahead of Salford.
Broughton Rovers also won the Challenge Cup for the first time, beating Rochdale by 25-0 in the final.
  From Quiz: Rugby League in England
18 The 1st draw in a final was in 1910 when Hull and Leeds drew 7-7. Who won the replay?
Answer: Leeds

Leeds won the replay 26-12.
  From Quiz: Rugby League Challenge Cup
19 In what year did Saints first win the Challenge Cup?
Answer: 1956

Saints beat Huddersfield 20-5.
  From Quiz: St Helens RLFC
20 Who won the Challenge Cup in 1997?
Answer: St. Helens

The final score was St Helens 32 - 22 Bradford Bulls.
  From Quiz: Grand Final and Challenge Cup
21 Who won the ESL title in 2000?
Answer: St Helens

St Helens won their 2nd premiership in a row. They beat Wigan 29-16
  From Quiz: English Super League
22 Where did FC play their home games before they moved to the KC Stadium in 2003?
Answer: The Boulevard

When the Northern Union was formed in 1895, Hull FC (short for Hull Football Club) started playing at The Boulevard, west of the River Hull. Their nickname was "The Airlie Birds", named after Airlie Street which is near to the ground. They had a lot of successes throughout their history and were often competing with their rivals from the east side of the River Hull, Hull Kingston Rovers. In 1996, they became Hull Sharks until they merged with Gateshead Thunder in 1999, reverting back to Hull FC and The Airlie Birds nickname, even after moving to the newly built KC Stadium in 2003.
  From Quiz: Rugby League Stadium Names
23 The arrival of which Australian winger in 1945 signaled the beginning of the glory years for Warrington?
Answer: Brian Bevan

Born in Sydney, Bevan began his rugby league career playing for Eastern Suburbs in the Australian domestic competition. But, at the outbreak of World War II, he joined the Navy and arrived in England in 1945 with a letter from the Eastern Suburbs Chairman in an effort to join the English competition. Trials at Leeds and Hunslet were unsuccessful until he joined Warrington.

His first season in 1947-48 saw him score 48 tries in a single season and by his fourth season he had passed the record of 215. His records remained untouched for years, with some still remaining to this day.

He scored 740 tries in 695 appearances for Warrington. On five occasions, Bevan ended as the season's top try scorer, setting a record of 72 tries in 1952-53. He scored a hat-trick or more of tries in exactly 100 games for Warrington.

Bevan retired in 1962 and would remain in English until his death in 1991. He was inducted into the British Rugby League Hall of Fame in 1988 and became the first person to be inducted into both British and Australian Halls of Fame when he was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2005.

He was named in Australia's Team of the Century in 2008.
  From Quiz: Warrington Wolves
24 Who did Bradford FC beat in the playoff final of 1903-04?
Answer: Salford

The league was still decided by the team finishing first in the table in 1903-04, but as Bradford and Salford finished equal on 52 points, an avenue to find a winner was needed. Tie-breakers such as points difference had not been used, so the decision was taken for the two teams to meet in a playoff.
Bradford beat Salford 5-0 in the playoff to secure their first and only Championship, and would go on to win the Challenge Cup two years later.
Bradford FC would eventually be swamped by bitter infighting and the club would eventually split. The majority would go on to become Bradford Park Avenue that played under Association Football rules. The minority stayed under rugby league rules and would become known as Bradford Northern.
  From Quiz: Rugby League in England
25 The 1st team to win the Rugby League Challenge Cup 3 times were who?
Answer: Batley

Having won the very 1st Challenge Cup in 1897. They also won in 1898 and 1901.
  From Quiz: Rugby League Challenge Cup
26 In 1989, which player scored tries in 10 consecutive games?
Answer: Les Quirk

This remarkable run lasted from 1st January 1989 to 11th March 1989.
    Your options: [ Les Quirk ] [ Paul Loughlin ] [ Anthony Sullivan ] [ Barrie Ledger ]
  From Quiz: St Helens RLFC
27 Who won the Challenge Cup in 1998?
Answer: Sheffield Eagles

Final score was Sheffield Eagles 17 - 8 Wigan Warriors.
  From Quiz: Grand Final and Challenge Cup
28 Who did Bradford beat in the 2001 final?
Answer: Wigan

Bradford beat Wigan 37-6.
  From Quiz: English Super League
29 Which club moved to The Willows in 1901?
Answer: Salford

Salford didn't enter the Northern Union until 1896. They were playing at a field called "New Barnes" in Manchester. This land was sold, so they had to vacate New Barnes, and they moved to land owned by Willows Land Company while playing their first match there in 1901. This became their stadium, "The Willows". Their nickname was "The Red Devils", but they also were renamed Salford City Reds in 1996.
    Your options: [ Salford ] [ Keighley ] [ Whitehaven ] [ Featherstone ]
  From Quiz: Rugby League Stadium Names
30 Warrington won their first Championship in 1947-48, defeating who in the final?
Answer: Bradford Northern

Wigan had finished the season as League Leaders on 63 points, with Warrington only 2 points back with a record of P36 W30 D1 L5 Points 61.

Warrington beat Huddersfield 17-5, setting up a clash with Bradford Northern after they beat Wigan 15-3 in the other semi-final. In the final held at Maine Road, Warrington claimed their first League Championship with a 15-5 win.
  From Quiz: Warrington Wolves
31 During the World War I and World War II, the Challenge Cup was only canceled once. Which year was it canceled?
Answer: 1940

During the World War II, all the Challenge Cup finals were played away from Wembley (London).
    Your options: [ 1920 ] [ 1917 ] [ 1940 ] [ 1942 ]
  From Quiz: Rugby League Challenge Cup
32 In 2000, Melbourne Storm beat Saints 40-6 in the World Club Championship. Who scored Saints only try that day?
Answer: Sean Hoppe

Saints bounced back the following year beating Brisbane 20-18, becoming World Club Champions for the first time.
  From Quiz: St Helens RLFC
33 Who won the 1999 Grand Final?
Answer: St. Helens

The 1999 Grand Final managed to be even closer as St Helens won 8-6 against Bradford Bulls in high drama, with Kevin Iro's try and two Sean Long goals cancelling out Henry Paul's try and conversion, with both sides having efforts ruled out by the video referee in a dramatic second half.
  From Quiz: Grand Final and Challenge Cup
34 What NRL club did Adrian Morley join in 2000?
Answer: Sydney Roosters

He joined them from Leeds in 2000.
  From Quiz: English Super League
35 Where did Les Catalan Dragons move to in 2008?
Answer: Stade Gilbert Brutus

Rugby League was introduced to France in the late 19th century, but it didn't really become popular until 1934 with the start of a French championship in the south of the country. Rugby League was banned by the Vichy government and the Nazis in 1941, so strengthening rugby union in its place. A SuperLeague team called Paris St. Germain was formed in 1995, but it had to fold in 1997 because of poor results and dropping attendances. A team called Union Treiziste Catalon was formed in Perpignon in 2001, sharing Stade Aime Giral with the Rugby Union team. It became a SuperLeague team called Catalan Dragons in 2006, moving to Stade Gilbert Brutus in 2008.
  From Quiz: Rugby League Stadium Names
36 Warrington won their third League Championship in which season?
Answer: 1954-55

Warrington did 'the double' in 1954-55. They finished the season as League Leaders with a record of P36 W29 D2 L5 Points 60, equal on points with Oldham but designated as Champions.

In the playoffs, Warrington beat Halifax 17-9 in the semi-final and then beat Oldham 7-3 in a closely fought final held at Maine Road.
    Your options: [ 1948-49 ] [ 1974-75 ] [ 1961-62 ] [ 1954-55 ]
  From Quiz: Warrington Wolves
37 Huddersfield met St. Helens in the 1915 Challenge Cup Final, played at Watersheddings in Oldham. What was the final score?
Answer: 37-3

Huddersfield were the dominant side of the time and their 1915 Challenge Cup victory was their third in four years, while they had also won the Rugby League Championship three times in four years in the same period.
The 37-3 victory for Huddersfield was the biggest score for a winner and largest margin of victory in a Challenge Cup Final. The largest margin of victory record remained until 1999. The biggest score for a winner remained only until 1960.
The Challenge Cup Final was only the second time that St. Helens had made since they made the very first in 1897. St. Helens would make another two finals before finally winning their first Challenge Cup in 1955-56.
  From Quiz: Rugby League in England
38 In 1954, the replay between Warrington and Halifax drew a crowd of 102,569. Where was this replay held?
Answer: Odsal, Bradford

It must have been rather a tight squeeze to get that many people into the ground! At the time it was the highest attendance at a Rugby League match.
  From Quiz: Rugby League Challenge Cup
39 In 1976, Saints won the Challenge Cup for the 5th time defeating Widnes 20-5 at Wembley. Who won the Lance Todd trophy that day for man of the match?
Answer: Geoff Pimblett

Geoff Pimblett set a record for most goals in a match for England with 9 against Wales in 1978.
  From Quiz: St Helens RLFC
40 Who won the Challenge Cup in 1999?
Answer: Leeds Rhinos

Leeds Rhinos gave the London Broncos a thrashing, 52 - 16.
  From Quiz: Grand Final and Challenge Cup
The rest of the questions and answers can be found in our quizzes here:
England Rugby League Quizzes