Erm.........watching East Leeds a lot.

Last of the great Offiah specials in that game.

Possibly the best Challenge Cup run of the summer era, when you consider the teams Leeds beat to get to that final.



As for the best performance in a final, I think you need to take account of the level of opposition which rules that Leeds side out IMO.



The Wigan performance in 1995 was unfortunately as close as I've seen to a perfect performance in the Challenge Cup Final in the time I've been watching the game.

Controversial statement coming up...



I think last year (this year?! 2010 anyway!) was a fantastic Challenge Cup Squad.



Just to back that up and hope that some people can see the logic in this...



The whole ethos of the Cup is about peaking for single matches. Playing well, for just one game at a time. Assessing the team that comes up next, and doing the correct preparation, correct training, and correct game plan to beat that one specific team, at that one specific time.



That is exactly what we did.



There were matches all SL season that we should have won, or that we should have performed well in but for some reason, be it performance, preparation, motivation, whatever, we didn't. Yet every time a CC match came around... it worked. Whatever we were getting wrong in the league, we got right for the cup. In getting to the final we beat 3 teams who were all above us in the league. We drummed Hull (who I think were above us at the time??!), then the displays against Wigan & Saints were both epic.



It was clear that we'd set our stall out to win the Cup, from the get-go that was our aim, and it showed.



Now the final itself will go down in our memories for all the wrong reasons, and that has (quite understandably) made people forget just what a fantastic effort we made to try and win a competition that has alluded us for so long.



I'm sure this will get mocked, and people will have their bits to say about "How c[ir[/iap we were last season" but if you take a step back, ignore performances and form in the league (which we're talking about Cup Sides so it's ok to do) and just review individuals and the team on cup performances look at the 2010 Leeds Rhinos Challenge Cup Side. It was a pretty decent one, who may have fallen at the final hurdle, but at least they got there in style.

I love you.

And if you remember we beat the Champions, Wigan with basically 12 men for the entire match after Barrie went for a very early bath.



Weren't we losing 10 minutes into the second half of that final as well?