We’re down to the last eight following the Betfred Challenge Cup Fourth Round action at the weekend.
Here are some of the standout stats from the latest cup round (All stats provided by Opta)…
The main take from Wakefield Trinity versus Leeds Rhinos’ tie was Tom Johnstone’s remarkable return. And perhaps the fact that it was Wakefield's first Challenge Cup victory over Leeds since 1937!
The Wakefield winger featured for the first time in 2026 and made his comeback known live on BBC iPlayer.
Johnstone ran an impressive 191 metres in 22 runs – the highest of any Trinity player and made two line breaks and 13 tackle busts.
He also collected Jack Sinfield’s cleverly timed chip kick to the left edge, before passing on to Oli Pratt who touched down on the stroke of half-time and brought his side back into the game.
Harvey Smith was another star of the night, emerging as Trinity’s top tackler (37) and scoring the opening try. The lights going off early doors didn’t seem to faze the young hooker!
Jazz Tevaga produced an equally as strong showing with 36 tackles.
The second most runs behind Johnstone was man of the hour Ky Rodwell with 15, who also produced the match-winning score.
As well as his kick that led to Trinity’s second try, Sinfield was responsible for another 14 kicks on the night – running rings around his former side and earning Player of the Match for his performance.
In defeat, Lachlan Miller was Leeds’ main man, with 180 metres in just 20 runs. Metre making has become the normality for the fancy full back, although Trinity kept him at bay in Round 4.
In-form Maika Sivo continued his terrific try scoring with another double. That’s now eleven tries in four matches across all competitions for the Fijian flier!
The Rhinos' top tackler was Cameron Smith with 39. He impressed at the DIY Kitchens Stadium on Friday Night – the place he will call home from 2027 onwards.
Possession and attacking stats were fairly even between the two West Yorkshire neighbours, highlighting the fierceness of their local derby.
As Wigan Warriors and Bradford Bulls renewed their rivalry, Liam Marshall, Luke Thompson and Sam Walters all surpassed 100 metres.
A Harry Smith masterclass inspired the Warriors to a solid cup win in Round 4, with two try assists, six tackles busts, 16 runs and 14 kicks in play with a whopping 364 kicking metres.
Ryan Sutton was the Bulls’ top tackler of the evening, with 42 made against his former side.
On Saturday, current holders Hull KR put on a spectacle as they continued their title defence live on The Sportsman.
A ruthless Robins outfit ran nine tries past Huddersfield Giants, including two superb scores from magic Mikey Lewis.
Tom Davies was the highest metre maker with 232, followed by Lewis (122), Rhyse Martin (119) and Tom Amone (108).
In total, there were 29 tackle busts made by the Robins who also produced 511 more gain line metres than the Giants (1484).
On the losing team, Taane Milne was a standout performer scoring both of Huddersfield’s two tries and making the most metres in Claret & Gold (122).
Tristan Sailor set up both of Lewis Murphy’s tries in St Helens’ win over Castleford Tigers.
Meanwhile, Leigh Leopards claimed their first cup win over Hull FC since the 1987 Quarter Finals. Two successful Adam Cook penalties put the game out of reach for the Black & Whites, and let's not overlook Isaac Liu's standout stat - 183 metres for the Leopards' loose forward.
In the remainder of Saturday’s games, Catalans Dragons’ youngster Lenny Marc starred with an eleven-minute hat-trick in front of his home crowd. Charlie Staines was also on the scoresheet twice.
The highest win of the round goes to Warrington Wolves who beat Goole Vikings 78-10. There were eleven different try scorers on Saturday afternoon - Josh Thewlis, Jake Thewlis (x2), Josh Smith (x2), Max Wood, Jordan Crowther, Danny Walker, James Harrison, debutant Lachlan Webster, Ben Hartill, Leon Hayes, and Ewan Irwin.
Irwin had a magnificent 100% record from the boot, converting every possible goal.
York Knights were also dominant against Keighley with Liam Harris masterfully pulling the strings. The York captain scored twice, provided one try assist and was involved in the build-up to a number of other tries.
What will the quarter finals bring?
The Quarter Final draw details and ball numbers can be found here.
Betfred Challenge Cup 2026 key dates:
Quarter Finals – April 11/12
Semi Finals – May 9/10
Final – Saturday May 30
It's Betfred Challenge Cup Finals Day at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 30 May 2026. Book your tickets here today and enjoy our early bird prices!
