Each time, Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves have met in major finals

Wigan Warriors face Warrington Wolves in the Challenge Cup final this weekend at Wembley Stadium.

So we look back at every time they’ve met over the years in various competitions.

They have faced each other in five Lancashire Cup finals, with Wigan victorious in 1949, 1951, 1986 and 1988, while Warrington’s only victory over their Cherries rivals in the final of this competition came in 1981.

Below, however, is every Challenge Cup, Super League and League Cup final.

Two League Cup finals

In the League Cup, which has had various names over the years, they have met twice: in 1987, they faced off in what was then the ‘John Player Special Trophy’ at Burnden Park, Bolton – the former home of Bolton Wanderers FC.

A crowd of over 20,000 saw Wigan 18-4 winners after Warrington hammered Widnes in a derby day semi-final.

They then met again in the penultimate edition of the competition, when it was called the Royal Trophy.

That year, two teams from French Catalonia took part in the competition, as well as several junior clubs, and there were two huge 138-point victories in the first round, with Barrow beating Nottingham City 138-0 and Huddersfield winning 142- 4 against Blackpool. Gladiators.

Finally, in the final at Huddersfield, Wigan were once again victorious, winning 40–10.

1990 Challenge Cup Final – Wigan Warriors win

ON THIS DAY 1990

Ellery Hanley finishes during a 36-14 Challenge Cup final win over Warrington at Wembley Stadium. pic.twitter.com/AQIXryZVH1

— Wigan RL History (@WiganRLHistory) April 28, 2021

Warrington went into this hoping for a first cup win in sixteen years and faced Wigan for the fourth time in five years.

Brian Johnson’s side, however, quickly snuffed out any hope of this elusive victory as Ellery Hanley, Shaun Edwards, Joe Lydon and co. secured another Challenge Cup win – the club’s eleventh in its existence.

It was also the third of a remarkable run of back-to-back Challenge Cup wins that spanned eight years, until they suffered a shock defeat to Salford Reds in the fifth round of the 1996 edition of the competition .

Super League Grand Final 2013 – Wigan Warriors win

Credit: Imago Images

Warrington went into this game hoping to avenge their defeat at the same stage the previous year when Tony Smith’s side lost to Leeds Rhinos.

They came out well, leading 16-2 at half-time and looking well on their way to a first Super League Grand Final win.

Current Hull FC caretaker manager Simon Grix was among the scorers in the first half, while their director of rugby Richie Myler also lined out for Wolves.

However, they eventually suffered a second successive Grand Final defeat as the Warriors stormed back with 28 unanswered points in the second half, giving the Warriors a league and cup double after a win at Wembley… over Hull FC.

Super League Grand Final 2016 – Wigan win

Credit: Imago Images

By now, it had been 61 years since Warrington had won a league title and they were desperate to change that.

Again they went into the break ahead after a try and conversion by Declan Patton put them 6-2 up.

However, Oli Gildart and Josh Charnley, now Super League veterans, hit back in the second half to crush Wire’s dreams once again, winning 12-6 and securing Wigan’s 21st league title.

Super League Grand Final 2018 – Wigan Warriors win again

Credit: Imago Images

I’m sure you’ve sensed a theme by now as once again Wigan Warriors kept Warrington’s wait for a league title even longer as they won again at Old Trafford.

Again Warrington started the better as Josh Charnley’s try opened the scoring but tries from Dominic Manfredi and Tom Davies for Wigan ensured they were in the lead at the break this time and another try from Manfredi with only a few minutes left. of the game confirmed the victory.

That day, Sam Powell, now of Warrington, was pimping for Wigan Warriors, while George Williams was queuing for them. Stefan Ratchford, Joe Philbin and Toby King, who are playing on the day, are also at Warrington again.

Meanwhile, Mike Cooper, who played for Warrington in that game, now plays for Wigan, as does Liam Farrell, who has remained at the club ever since.