History of St Helens RFLC

 

 St Helens RFLC – The most successful club in the modern era!

 

1. St Helens RLFC, the most successful club of the modern era, have most recently won the Carnegie Challenge Cup Trophy three years in a row and the League Leaders Shield four years in a row.

 

2. Saints played in the first Rugby League Challenge Cup Final in 1897. Since then, they have played in 19 finals, lifting the famous trophy on 12 occasions. In 2007, they won the League Leaders Shield, Challenge Cup Final and World Club Challenge.

 

3. St Helens RFC was founded in 1873, and moved to their current ground at Knowsley Road, now GPW Recruitment Stadium, in 1890. They were founder members of the breakaway Northern Union in 1895, from which the 13-a-side game we know today evolved.

 

4. Saints have 10 present or current Great Britain internationals in their squad: Captain Keiron Cunningham, Ade Gardner, Lee Gilmore, James Graham, Sean Long, Leon Pryce, James Roby, Paul Wellens, Jon Wilkin and Maurie Fa’asavalu. Matt Gidley, Francis Meli, Jason Cayless and Tony Puletua are also internationals.

 

5. Some of the rugby league’s most famous names have played for St Helens, including Tom van Vollenhoven, Vinty Karalius, Ray French, Alex Murphy, Kel Coslett, Mal Meninga, Paul Newlove, Chris Joynt and Jamie Lyon.