The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Challenge Cup final’s man of the match.
The trophy commemorates Lance Todd, a New Zealand-born rugby league player, coach and theatre impresario who died in a road accident in 1942. It was first awarded in 1946, when Wigan’s Frank Whitcombe became the inaugural recipient after the Challenge Cup final.
The award is presented after the final and is traditionally voted for by members of the Rugby League Writers’ Association. It is one of the sport’s best-known individual honours because it recognizes performance in rugby league’s most historic knockout match.
The Lance Todd Trophy is often confused with awards from other competitions. The Clive Churchill Medal belongs to the NRL Grand Final, while the Harry Sunderland Trophy has been used for major honours in British rugby league, including the Super League Grand Final.