Ryan Hall joined an elite band of players to lift Rugby League’s most coveted man of the match award on Wednesday evening when he was presented with the Lance Todd Trophy.
The Leeds Rhinos winger secured the award with an outstanding two-try display in his club’s 23-10 victory over Castleford Tigers at Wembley Stadium last Saturday and received the Lance Todd Trophy at a celebration dinner in Salford.
He was joined at the event by a host of former Lance Todd Trophy winners, including Sean Long, Andy Gregory, Brian Lockwood, Bill Kirkbride, Ray Ashby, Gary Connolly and Alex Murphy OBE, and received the award from last year’s winner, Matty Smith of Wigan Warriors.
The Lance Todd Trophy is always presented at a ceremony on the Wednesday immediately after the final, and this year’s event played out in front of a packed audience at the Worsley Park Marriott in Salford.
The ceremony was hosted by Salford Red Devils Foundation, in conjunction with Rugby League Cares and One Medical Group. After overseeing proceedings at Wembley on Saturday, BBC Rugby League commentator Dave Woods was MC for the evening.
Owned by the Red Devils Association, the Lance Todd Trophy has been awarded to the man of the match in the Challenge Cup final every year since 1946.
Lance Todd was a former New Zealand international player who went on to play for Wigan and Dewsbury, before overseeing the most successful period in Salford’s history, including the club’s only Wembley win in 1938. Tragically he was killed in a motor accident during the Second World War and the award was born as a tribute to his life and successes.
