2024 Betfred Challenge Cup Semi-Finals » League Unlimited

Results and scores:

A full preview of the 2024 Betfred Challenge Cup semi-finals with AJ Lucantonio

All times shown are BST (UK Local).

RELATED: See the full Betfred Challenge Cup 2024 Finals Series draw and results list.

Hull KR 6 Wigan Warriors 38
Venue: Eco-Power Stadium, Doncaster

Date: Saturday, May 18. Kick-off: 13:45. Half time: Wigan 24-0. Penalties: Hull KR 8-5. Referee: Chris Kendall. Crowd: 11,163.

Hull KR: Evalds, Burgess, Hiku, Opacic, Hall; May, Lewis; Sue, Litten, Whitbread, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella (C). Int: King, Parcell, Luckley, Tanginoa.
Wigan: Field, Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell (C), Ellis. Int: Mago, Leeming, Dupree, Walters.

Hull Kingston Rovers (6)
Try: Joe Burgess
Goals: Mikey Lewis 1/1

Wigan Warriors (38)
Tries: Jacob Wardle 2, Abbas Miski 2, Harry Smith, Tyler Dupree, Junior Nsemba
Goals: Adam Keighran 3/3, Harry Smith 2/5

Wigan Warriors were the first team to reach the final of the Challenge Cup with an impressive win over Hull Kingston Rovers in Doncaster.

The Warriors started strongly with an early try after three minutes. A well worked set piece down the right saw Jai Field link up with Jake Wardle, the young center was able to get on the outside of the Hull KR defense for the opening try.

Just minutes later, Wigan’s scintillating attack struck again, capitalizing on Rovers’ poor last-tackle options. A perfectly weighted chip shot from Bevan French was met spectacularly by Abbas Miski and the Lebanese winger managed to contort his body to put the ball down. Matty Smith converted to make it 10-0.

Rovers had chances to reduce Wigan’s lead but fell short at the right moments. But where Rovers couldn’t capitalize, Wigan could and got try number three soon after. An error from Rovers gave the Warriors first court position and the game quickly swung to the right. Smith sent a short ball to Junior Nsemba who crashed over and Smith’s conversion was again cleared.

Miski added a second to put Rovers in survival mode. Wardle’s fielder was hard to take for Joe Burgess and he spilled it cold. Liam Marshall collected the loose ball and fed it to Miski who crossed the line for his second of the afternoon. Smith’s strike was the only thing that kept Wigan at bay in the first half. From the next set, Kruise Leeming caught Rovers asleep on the short side to send Marshall wide, the winger kicked inside and it was Smith who collected the crumbs for try number five of the first half. Smith laid off the goal kick for Adam Keighran, who added the extras to lead 24-0 at the break.

Rovers started the second half with more intensity, but an incorrect offside call swung Wigan’s momentum. They compounded this mistake with another penalty which allowed Keighran to add a penalty goal for 26-0. Rovers got a break with a Pat Mago error and capitalized to open the try account for the second half. A kick down the field was not dealt with and some silky skills saw Joe Burgess score, Lewis converted to cut the gap to 20.

Just when there was hope, Rovers failed to clear the kick-off and Tyler Dupree crashed in front to book their trip to Wembley. Tempers flared late in the game as Tom Opacic was sent to the sin-bin for a forward push and was joined by fellow Aussie Keighran in the sin-bin. Wigan extended their lead to 15 from the end with a great raid down the right flank. Miski was sent on to the right who kicked into the field, Sam Walters recovered and kicked a bouncer and Wardle added a second to the scoreboard. With Keighran in the bin, Smith returned to leg duties and landed it for 38-6. That was where the scoring ended as Wigan progressed to Wembley again.

Huddersfield Giants 10 Warrington Wolves 46
Venue: Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens

Date: Sunday, May 19. Kick-off: 15:15. Half time: Warrington 22-4. Penalties: Warrington 4-1. Referee: Liam Moore. Crowd: 9,253.

Huddersfield: Connor, Swift, Marsters, Naiqama, Wallis; Lolohea, Clune; Wilson, Milner, English, Murchie, Cudjoe, Yates (C). Int: Golding, Rushton, Ikahihifo, Salabio.
Warrington: Dufty, Thewlis, King, Tai, Ashton; Williams (C), Drinking water; Harrison, Walker, Vaughan, Nicholson, Fitzgibbon, Currie. Int: Philbin, Musgrove, Crowther, Powell.

Huddersfield Giants (10)
Tries: Kevin Naiqama, Adam Swift
Goals: Jake Connor 1/2
Sin Bin: Jake Connor

Warrington Wolves (46)
Tries: Matt Dufty 2, Sam Powell, George Williams, Josh Drinkwater, Danny Walker, Matthew Ashton, Rodrick Tai
Goals: Josh Thewlis 7/10

Warrington Wolves booked a Challenge Cup final meeting with Wigan after an impressive 46-10 win over Huddersfield Giants.

Warrington set the tone by opening the scoring after just seven minutes. A switch to the left saw Matty Ashton find space, finding two more Wire players before Josh Drinkwater provided support to score the opening try. Josh Thewlis converted for an early lead. Ian Watson would have wanted a restart when the lead was doubled just minutes later. Matt Dufty tricked the defense down the right to break away before linking up with Ashton to cross, Thewlis converting again for a 12-0 lead after just 11 minutes.

The Wire didn’t slow a pass for try number three before the 20-minute mark. Danny Walker rattled the stunned Huddersfield defense from close range and it was 18-0 in the blink of an eye. The Giants finally got some possession and capitalized to stop the bleeding after 25 minutes. Tui Lolohea dug deep down the line to find Esan Marsters before offloading the ball and some quick hands saw Adam Swift cross in the corner to make it 18-4.

Williams crossed six from the end before the break to break Huddersfield’s spirits. A fake half dart from Walker saw the ball offloaded to Williams who beat the defense from Adam Clune to score a try deep in his own half for a 22-4 half-time lead.

The Wire turned it on after the break with Dufty adding to his excellent first half by crossing for two tries in the space of five minutes. The first effort saw the fullback collect a short ball from Williams, beat a couple of defenders and slam it in to make it a four-possession game. The second effort saw several passing exchanges before Dufty used his blistering speed to get on the outside of defenders to make it a 30-point lead.

The Giants managed a consolation effort just after the hour when Kevin Naiqama crossed for Huddersfield. Sam Powell was dispossessed which allowed Naiqama to pick it up and run in for a couple of consolation points. Two late tries from Powell and Roderick Tai added more salt to Huddersfield’s wound as the Wire book their first trip to Wembley in 2019.