Swinton Lions will celebrate 100 years since their Rugby League Challenge Cup win in the coming season.
The 2026 season will mark the exact 100th Anniversary of Swinton winning the Challenge Cup, their second win out of their three cup wins.
On that day in 1926, Swinton defeated Oldham 9-3 in the Final, which took place at the Athletic Grounds at Rochdale, this being three years before the first Wembley Final.
The Swinton try scorer that day was Henry Blewer, and the team was captained by centre Jack Evans, a Great Britain international.
Swinton Lions will play in the competition again during the 2026 season.
They get a bye through Round 1, which is a regionalised affair comprising 34 Community Clubs.
The 17 winners will then join the 21 Championship Clubs for Round 2, producing 19 ties and 19 winners who will then join the 13 Super League Clubs for Round 3, excluding Toulouse.
They have been drawn against either amateur league Rochdale Mayfield or Ince Rose Bridge. With ties to set place on the weekend of the 24th and 25th January. Should they happen to play Ince Rose Bridge, this would mean a return to his former club for our Head Coach, Paul Wood.
The Lions have won the cup three times in their history, with their last win coming in 1928, nearly 100 years ago. With a 5-3 win over Warrington Wolves.
Steve Wild, CEO, Swinton Lions RLFC and Vice President of the Rugby Football League and historian of Swinton Lions, said: “We are very much looking forward to our Challenge Cup 2nd Round tie at either Rochdale Mayfield or Ince Rose Bridge.
Regardless of who we eventually play, we are under no illusions that it will be tough, and we’ll need to be at our best to progress to the 3rd Round, where hopefully we’ll draw a big Super League team.
“Next year’s tournament will mark the exact 100th Anniversary since we won the Challenge Cup in 1926, and with that final being played at Rochdale, perhaps it’s written in the stars that we’ll be going to Mayfield in Round 2.
“On the other side of the coin, I’m pretty sure that our Head Coach, Paul Wood, would be delighted if the Lions came up against his old club, Ince Rose Bridge.
“It would be wonderful if we could celebrate this 100th Anniversary with a terrific cup run!”
Swinton will hope to progress to round three and draw a big Super League team in the next round. For more information, click here.
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