1942-1943

Only fourteen Clubs took part in the Emergency League Competition, and Leeds finished fifth with a percentage of 67.64. Halifax with 68.42 were in fourth place so Leeds only narrowly failed to gain a place in the ?First Four?.

Our interest in the Yorkshire Cup did not survive the 1st Round. Dewsbury were defeated at Headingley in the 1st Leg by 15 points to 7, and the 2nd leg match was therefore faced with a certain amount of justifiable confidence, particularly as we were able to field a strong team: Walkington; Batten, Rookes, Croston, Evans; Hey, Thornton; Prosser, Murphy, Thompson, Jubb, Desborough, Jones. But Dewsbury had now recruited a very strong side including, Risman; Francis, Hudson, Stott, Kenny, Hammond, and they gained a victory by 18 points to 5 which gave them an aggregate margin of 5 points. They went on to win the Cup, defeating Huddersfield in the Final.

The R.L. Challenge Cup competition was very protracted as each round, including the Final was played on the ?two legs? principle. York, Wakefield Trinity and Keighley were disposed of on the way to Leeds third successive appearance in the Final and the fact that we had never been unsuccessful finalists lent much piquancy to the situation. In addition, Dewsbury, the other finalists, were the Yorkshire Cup holders and the League Champions, so the stage was set for a battle royal.

The first leg was played at Crown Flatt and the teams were as follows: Walkington; Callighan, Rookes, Warrior, Eaton; Evans, Jenkins; Satterthwaite, Murphy, Prosser, Gregory, Jubb, Tattersfield. Dewsbury: Bunter: Hudson, Edwards, Robinson, Lloyd; Kenny, Royal; Hammond, Curran, Gardiner, Kershaw, Smith, Seeling.

Leeds lacked power in the middle of the back division and Dewsbury fully merited their lead of 16 points to 9, but they had to play second fiddle in the 2nd leg at Headingley two days later when Leeds were magnificently served by their forwards and by scrum half Dai Jenkins. Lack of speed, however, handicapped Leeds and although they got within two points of winning the Cup they were unable to discount that seven point lead gained by Dewsbury at Crown Flatt. A Leeds victory by 6 points to nil still gave the cup to Dewsbury by 16 points to 15, and thus the Leeds record of immunity of defeat in the R.L. Cup Final was broken.

On January 23rd the Northern Command Sports Board promoted a match between R.U. players and R.L. players of the Northern Command. The game was played to Rugby Union Rules, and 8,000 spectators assembled to witness a very fine match which the R.L. players won by 18 points to 11.

The teams were as follows:

Northern Command R. U. Cpt. J. Bond (Cumberland); Lieut. T. G. H. Jackson (Scottish Public Schools and Army), Capt. N. M. Walford (Oxford University), Lieut. D. R. McGregor (Rosslyn Park), Sgt. Inst. D. F. Mitchell (Galashiels); 2nd Lieut. L. Bruce Lockhart (Cambridge University), O-Cadet H. Tanner (Swansea); Major R. O. Murray (London Scottish), Sgmn. J. D. H. Hastie (Melrose), Cpl. J. Maltman (Hawick), Cadet R. C. V. Stewart (Moseley & Waterloo), Cpl. R. Cowe (Melrose), 2nd Lieut R. A. Huskisson (Oxford University), Pte. A. Crawford (Melrose), 2nd Lieut. R. G. Furbank (Bedford).

Northern Command R. L. L/Cpl. G. R. Pepperell (Huddersfield), Sgt.-I. R. L. Francis (Dewsbury), Trooper H. Mills (Hull & Yorkshire), Pte. J. Stott (St. Helens), Cpl. E.W. Lloyd (Castleford &Wales); L/Bdr T. H. Royal (Dewsbury), Sgmn. W. Thornton (Hunslet & England); Sgt.-I. D. R. Prosser (Leeds & Wales), L/Cpl. L. L. White (Hunslet & Wales), Gnr. L. White (York), Cpl. K. Jubb (Leeds & England), Cpl. E. Tattersfield (Leeds & England), Pte. W. G. Chapman (Warrington & Wales), Cpl. H. Bedford (Hull), Sgt.-I. T. Foster (Bradford Northern & Wales).