Warriors win Challenge Cup at Wembley

• Match report as Wigan Warriors won against Warrington Wolves in the Betfred Challenge Cup Final at Wembley.
• The Warriors scored three tries to win the Betfred Challenge Cup for the 21st time.
• FT | Warrington Wolves 8-18 Wigan Warriors.

Match report as Wigan Warriors win 18-8 against Warrington Wolves in the Betfred Challenge Cup final.

A fiery first half in the final saw both teams reduced to 12 inside the opening 5 minutes with a sin bin each for Mike Cooper and Matt Dufty. Warrington got the first points of the game with a penalty goal but Wigan hit back with a pair of tries from Zach Eckersley and Bevan French to take a 12-2 lead into the break.

Liam Farrell crossed in the second half before Matt Dufty reduced the gap to 10 points just after the hour, but it was not enough as Wigan won at Wembley to confirm their 21st Betfred Challenge Cup title. Bevan French was also named the winner of the Lance Todd Trophy in a stellar performance on the big stage.

Report

The contest got off to a fiery start as Mike Cooper was shown a yellow card for a high tackle in the 2nd minute of the game. Warrington went on the attack from the restart before Liam Marshall recovered the ball which was in turn caught up high and Matt Dufty was also sent to the basket, leaving both sides with 12 men for 10 minutes.

After 7 minutes of action, Wembley Stadium erupted in applause to pay tribute to Rob Burrow CBE.

Warrington got the first points on the board in the 10th minute when an offside penalty on the Warriors’ goal line allowed Josh Thewlis to slot over a two-pointer from the tee to make it 2-0 to Wolves.

The Warriors hit back in the 18th minute when Zach Eckersley latched on to a teasing shot from Bevan French despite immense pressure from ex-Warrior Toby King. Harry Smith scored the extras to make it 6-2 after the first quarter.

After the try Wigan asked all their questions, Matty Ashton spilled a high ball to give Wigan a scrum 15m out, which saw the Warriors knocking on the door before Williams beat the ball on his own goal line . Wigan started the new set as Bevan French flew over for Wigan’s second of the afternoon. Harry Smith converted once more and it was 12-2.

Just before the hooter, Bevan French headed for the goal line again with two defenders on him, got behind the head to ground the ball but the referee sent it for a second opinion and the effort was ruled out for a double move . The Warriors went into halftime with a 10-point lead.

It was an even contest from the restart but Wigan had a good chance on 51 minutes as a dangerous shot from Smith was allowed to bounce before Warrington were penalized for pushing Marshall off the ball. The Warriors tried to carve out an opportunity, but the Wolves saw the set for the change of possession.

Wigan went for their third in the 56th minute when Jai Field sent the second rower through a gap in the defense to run in and score. The video referee was called into action but the score stood as Wigan extended their lead in the final. Harry Smith scored three from three off the tee as Wigan made it 18-2 with 20 minutes to play.

Warrington had back-to-back sets in front of the Wigan goal line and eventually their persistence paid off when they crossed for the first try of the contest with Matt Dufty cutting inside to dive under the posts. Thewlis converted and it was 18-8 to Wigan with 15 minutes to play.

With 8 minutes to go Wigan were in good field position, Harry Smith hit a drop goal attempt but it was wide and it was 18-8 to the Warriors. Matt Peet’s Wigan side held firm in the final minutes to seal an emphatic victory at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 64,845.

Gallery:

Warrington Wolves: Matt Dufty, Josh Thewlis, Toby King, Rodrick Tai, Matty Ashton, George Williams, Josh Drinkwater, James Harrison, Danny Walker, Paul Vaughan, Matty Nicholson, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Ben Currie.

Change: Zane Musgrove, Joe Bullock, Jordy Crowther, Sam Powell.

18th player: Stephen Ratchford.

Try: Dufty (63′)

Objectives: Thewlis 2/2

Sin Bin: Dufty (4′)

Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Zach Eckersley, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Mike Cooper, Brad O’Neill, Luke Thompson, Junior Nsemba, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis.

Change: Ethan Havard, Liam Byrne, Patrick Mago, Kruise Leeming.

18th player: Sam Walters.

Try: Eckersley (18′), French (24′), Farrell (56′)

Objectives: Smith 3/3

Sin Bin: Cooper (2′)

Present: 64,845

Referee: Chris Kendall.