Challenge Cup: Matt Dufty sends Warrington Wolves to Wembley double | Leeds Rhinos staged the Women’s Rematch Final | Rugby League News

Matt Dufty’s two tries helped Warrington Wolves give head coach Sam Burgess a final appearance at Wembley in his first season in charge as they beat Huddersfield Giants; Leeds Rhinos will face St Helens again in the women’s final after beating Wigan Warriors in the semi-final.

We recap all the action from Sunday’s men’s and women’s Betfred Challenge Cup semi-finals in St Helens, where Warrington Wolves and Leeds Rhinos have booked their places at Wembley next month…

Dufty double sends Wolves to Wembley

Warrington are into the Betfred Challenge Cup final for the first time since 2019 after an emphatic 46-10 win over Huddersfield Giants at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Matt Dufty completed a superb individual display with two of Wolves’ eight tries as the Wire wrapped up a Wembley meeting with Wigan Warriors early next month to mark a significant milestone for head coach Sam Burgess in his first season at lead.

Burgess’s own attempt to feature in the knockout game as a player came up short in Bradford Bulls’ semi-final defeat to St Helens in 2007.

The Giants never recovered from a ratty opening spell in which they conceded three tries in 20 minutes, and any slim hopes they had of fighting back into the competition quickly crumbled in a start littered with errors in the second half.

In contrast, Warrington were relentless from the start, with Matty Ashton galloping down the left flank with five minutes on the clock before a sharp exchange of passes left scrum-half Josh Drinkwater with the simplest of opportunities to open the scoring.

Two minutes later, Dufty sent Ashton through to extend Warrington’s lead and the Giants’ dismal start was summed up midway through the first half when Danny Walker was allowed to cross for the simplest of idle-half tries.

Three conversions from Thewlis – who would rack up an impressive 14 points with the boot – stretched Warrington’s lead to a seemingly unassailable 18 points, although Ian Watson’s side summoned a response, Jake Connor sending Adam Swift in the corner and Oliver Wilson knocking. as his side failed to make good on a territorial advantage spell.

But the key moment came six minutes before the interval when Dufty produced a saving tackle to deny Swift a second, and moments later Williams burst across the half-way line, cutting inside Adam Clune’s weak challenge to snatch his team’s fourth.

Any glimmer of hope the Giants may have had at the start of the second half was quickly extinguished as Dufty ran in two tries in quick succession, the first coming after the Giants built up well after the restart and broke through deep into Wolves territory when Clune’s shot was headed home by Ben Currie in the 47th minute.

Currie crossed the halfway line to start the set which ended with Williams sending Dufty over the line too easily and eight minutes later Currie’s cross gave the Aussie defender the chance for a simple second.

Kevin Naiqama raced over for a consolation try for Huddersfield before Connor was adjudged for a needless foul on the ball which gave Thewlis the chance to put Warrington ahead.

The pain wasn’t over for Huddersfield as ex-Wigan Warriors Sam Powell crossed the line, then Rodrick Tai completed the scoring by stretching over the line in front of packed rows of delighted Warrington fans behind the posts.

Rhinos staged the rematch of Saints in the women’s final

Leeds set up a repeat of last year’s Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup final against St Helens after overcoming Wigan at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Ruby Enright scored a try in each half to secure a 34-20 win for the Rhinos, who were beaten 22-8 by Saints at Wembley last year.

Vicky Molyneux and Grace Banks scored first-half tries for Denis Betts’ side, who went into the interval level before Leeds stepped up their game.

Caitlin Beevers, Zoe Hornby, Hanna Butcher, Lucy Murray and Keara Bennett also crossed for Leeds, while Enright added three goals to her tally.

What’s next?

Warrington Wolves return to Betfred Super League action on Saturday 25 May when they travel to other players Catalan dragons (5.30pm, Sky Sports Action). Huddersfield Giants they play the night before when they are hosted Leigh Leopards (8pm, Sky Sports Arena).

Leeds Rhinos face St Helens in a dress rehearsal at Wembley on Friday 24 May in a Betfred Women’s Super League match which is live on Sky Sports Action ahead of the two men’s teams facing off (5.30pm).

This year’s Challenge Cup finals take place at Wembley on Saturday 8 June. The women’s final starts at 11.45am, followed by the men’s final at 3pm.

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