Rugby League Record Keepers' Club organiser Neil Ormston looks at the history of a very special award...
Lancelot Beaumont Todd - a rugby pioneer, both as a player and manager, is a name that lives on today in the annual award for the player of the match in the men’s Challenge Cup Final.
However, with the passage of time, memories of even the greatest figures in sports fade, and those who saw their feats firsthand leave us behind. This was clear in 2011 when the winner Jeff Lima infamously said: “I don't even know who Lance Todd is, to be honest!”
To quote an even more famous antipodean - with respect to Mr Lima - “Those who drink from the well should remember those who dug it.” This was a favourite line of Harry Bath, a two-time Challenge Cup winner with Warrington, St George legend, and, apparently, a fan of Chinese proverbs.
If it's good enough for Harry, it should be good enough for us. So, to ensure today’s winner isn't left in the same doubt as the awardee from 12 years ago, let’s address who Lance Todd was.
Born in New Zealand in 1883, Todd played the dominant code of football in his native Auckland Province, namely rugby union, from a young age. A tailor by trade, he had risen through the club ranks to the regional Auckland representative team when in 1907 he was selected for a tour that would equally change his future and the rugby world.
The professional All Blacks tour of 1907-08 rocked the sporting world, paving the way for a similar split in rugby in Australia, and supplying a much-needed boost to the ailing Northern Rugby Football Union (NRFU), the body that in 1922 become the Rugby Football League. Twelve years after the split from the Rugby Football Union, the NRFU was struggling to make headway from its increasingly isolated position, and the touring New Zealand team brought renewed vigour and confidence to the game, leading to a turnaround in fortunes.
For Todd and his fellow tourists, the share in profits from the financially successful venture was life-changing, with each receiving almost £300. Even more significantly Wigan offered him a further £400 and the captaincy of the team to remain with them in England.
He played a leading role in Wigan’s first great side, as the club won their first Championship, their only one in the first 25 years of the new code, four Lancashire League titles and three Lancashire Cups. A move to Dewsbury followed, which was cut short by the outbreak of war, when like so many others, he answered the call to serve King and Empire.
Incredibly, Todd’s impact off the field would surpass that on it. It was his spell as the manager of Salford that became his greatest achievement. Upon joining in 1928 he transformed the fortunes of a struggling side, helping shape the dominant team of the 1930s. Salford won three Championships, five Lancashire Leagues, four Lancashire Cups, and, perhaps most famously, their first, and to date, still their only, Challenge Cup victory.
Todd also took charge of Salford’s tour to France in 1934, staying true to his pioneering roots once again. It was the first full season of the new code, and the French authorities wanted the game’s leading side to undertake a promotional tour, which Todd was more than happy to support. The French journalists who saw Todd’s charges were suitably impressed, christening them ‘Les Diables Rouges’, the English equivalent of which - the Red Devils - has stuck ever since.
Lance B Todd found yet more prominence in another off-field role, becoming the first ‘voice of rugby league’ as the game’s principal commentator for BBC Radio
Despite his achievements, when war broke out again, Salford felt unable to renew his contract due to the uncertain situation.
However, he answered the call of duty once again, joining the Home Guard. Tragically, returning home from duty on 14 November 1942, he was killed when the car he was driving crashed in thick fog. His funeral was a stately affair, with thousands coming to mourn the passing of a great man who had given people so much pleasure with his exploits on and off the field.
His legacy in the game was secured when the decision was taken to name the award for the best player in the Challenge Cup final the Lance Todd Trophy, starting with the first game played back at Wembley after the war in 1946, when Wakefield Billy Stott became the first recipient, chosen by a vote of members of the Rugby League Writers Association in attendance at the final.
It was Harry Sunderland, coincidentally after whom the Championship/Premiership/Grand Final man of the match award is now named, who pushed the initiative forward. Until 1956 a cash prize was awarded, but then the Red Devils’ Association of former Salford players funded an actual trophy. This is presented in the week after the final to the winner at a celebratory dinner, with a replica given for them to keep.
Sean Long of St Helens is the only three-time winner. Gerry Helme of Warrington was the first double recipient, his second award coming in 1954 from the drab drawn match at Wembley, rather than the famous replay in front of a world-record crowd at Odsal.
The losing team has produced the Lance Todd Trophy winner on nine occasions, perhaps most infamously in 1968 when Don Fox had to collect it after having missed what would have been the game winning kick at goal.
On two occasions the vote was split, so in 2007 Paul Wellens and Leon Pryce of victors St Helens shared the prize, as Ray Ashby of Wigan and Roy Gabbitas of runners-up Hunslet did in 1965.
As expected, the Rugby League Record Keepers’ Club, which I am proud to lead, gives full coverage to all Lance Todd winners on a dedicated page on our website. Work is on-going to complete the full career histories of all winners, a project that will take several years to complete, and can be followed online, or by becoming a member to support our work. Details of how to join are available on the website.
The convention of naming player of the match awards has yet to reach the women’s game. However, with increased recognition of the pioneers of the sport with the introduction of a women’s Hall of Fame, hopefully this will change soon. We are currently defining the canon of women’s games, and the Record Keepers’ Club hopes to share further details on the history of the Challenge Cup and the players of the match, which would be a fitting acknowledgement for those involved.
The other senior final on Saturday will see the leading light from the game pick up a named gong, with the 1895 Cup player of the match given the Ray French Award. Like Todd before him, Ray French MBE was the voice of the sport for many years, as the lead commentator for BBC television, following his retirement from a stellar playing career with St Helens and Widnes, which saw him win four caps for Great Britain.
French was chosen as the man to have the honour of the award being named after him after a vote of fans ahead of the first final in 2019. He was on hand to present it to Anthony Thackeray of Sheffield. All three winners have come from the victorious team, with Craig Hall of Featherstone and Edwin Ipape of Leigh being the chosen men in 2021 and 2022 respectively (there was no competition in 2020 because of the Covid pandemic).
On Saturday, the players in all three finals can make their own entry into the history books. Good luck to all of them!
Lance Todd Trophy roll of honour:
- 2022 - Chris McQueen (Huddersfield)*
- 2021 - Niall Evalds (Castleford)*
- 2020 - Richie Myler (Leeds)
- 2019 - Daryl Clark (Warrington)
- 2018 - Tony Gigot (Catalans)
- 2017 - Marc Sneyd (Hull)
- 2016 - Marc Sneyd (Hull)
- 2015 - Tom Briscoe (Leeds)
- 2014 - Ryan Hall (Leeds)
- 2013 - Matty Smith (Wigan)
- 2012 - Brett Hodgson (Warrington)
- 2011 - Jeff Lima (Wigan)
- 2010 - Lee Briers (Warrington)
- 2009 - Michael Monaghan (Warrington)
- 2008 - Paul Wellens (St. Helens)
- 2007 - Paul Wellens (St. Helens) / Leon Pryce (St. Helens)
- 2006 - Sean Long (St. Helens)
- 2005 - Kevin Sinfield (Leeds)*
- 2004 - Sean Long (St. Helens)
- 2003 - Gary Connolly (Leeds)*
- 2002 - Kris Radlinski (Wigan)
- 2001 - Sean Long (St. Helens)
- 2000 - Henry Paul (Bradford)
- 1999 - Leroy Rivett (Leeds)
- 1998 - Mark Aston (Sheffield)
- 1997 - Tommy Martyn (St. Helens)
- 1996 - Robbie Paul (Bradford)*
- 1995 - Jason Robinson (Wigan)
- 1994 - Martin Offiah (Wigan)
- 1993 - Dean Bell (Wigan)
- 1992 - Martin Offiah (Wigan)
- 1991 - Denis Betts (Wigan)
- 1990 - Andy Gregory (Wigan)
- 1989 - Ellery Hanley (Wigan)
- 1988 - Andy Gregory (Wigan)
- 1987 - Graham Eadie (Halifax)
- 1986 - Bob Beardmore (Castleford)
- 1985 - Brett Kenny (Wigan)
- 1984 - Joe Lydon (Widnes)
- 1983 - David Hobbs (Featherstone)
- 1982 - Eddie Cunningham (Widnes)
- 1981 - Mick Burke (Widnes)
- 1980 - Brian Lockwood (Hull Kingston Rovers)
- 1979 - David Topliss (Wakefield)
- 1978 - George Nicholls (St. Helens)
- 1977 - Steve Pitchford (Leeds)
- 1976 - Geoff Pimblett (St. Helens)
- 1975 - Ray Dutton (Widnes)
- 1974 - Derek Whitehead (Warrington)
- 1973 - Steve Nash (Featherstone)
- 1972 - Kel Coslett (St. Helens)
- 1971 - Alex Murphy (Leigh)
- 1970 - Bill Kirkbridge (Castleford)
- 1969 - Mal Reilly (Castleford)
- 1968 - Don Fox (Wakefield)*
- 1967 - Carl Dooler (Featherstone)
- 1966 - Len Killeen (St. Helens)
- 1965 - Ray Ashby (Wigan) / Brian Gabbitas (Hunslet)*
- 1964 - Frank Collier (Widnes)
- 1963 - Harold Poynton (Wakefield)
- 1962 - Neil Fox (Wakefield)
- 1961 - Dick Huddart (St. Helens)
- 1960 - Tommy Harris (Hull)*
- 1959 - Brian McTigue (Wigan)
- 1958 - Rees Thomas (Wigan)
- 1957 - Jeff Stevenson (Leeds)
- 1956 - Alan Prescott (St. Helens)
- 1955 - Jack Grundy (Barrow)
- 1954 - Gerry Helme (Warrington)
- 1953 - Peter Ramsden (Huddersfield)
- 1952 - Billy Ivison (Workington)
- 1951 - Cec Mountford (Wigan)
- 1950 - Gerry Helme (Warrington)
- 1949 - Ernest Ward (Bradford)
- 1948 - Frank Whitcombe (Bradford)*
- 1947 - Willie Davies (Bradford)
- 1946 - Billy Stott (Wakefield)
* Denotes player from losing team
This article is taken from the official Betfred Challenge Cup Finals programme - the programme can be purchased online here.
