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 a 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 in the opening 5-minutes with a sin bin apiece for Mike Cooper and Matt Dufty. Warrington got the first points of the game with a penalty goal but Wigan struck back with a duo of tries from Zach Eckersley and Bevan French to take a 12-2 lead in at the interval.

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

Report

It was a fiery start to the contest as Mike Cooper was shown a yellow card for a high tackle 2 minutes into the game. Warrington went on the attack from the restart before Liam Marshall recovered the ball, who was in turn caught high as Matt Dufty was also sent to the bin, leaving both sides down to 12-men for 10 minutes.

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

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

The Warriors struck back in the 18th minute as Zach Eckersley latched onto a teasing grubber kick through from Bevan French, despite immense pressure from former Warrior Toby King. Harry Smith slotted the extras to make it 6-2 after the first quarter.

Following the try Wigan were asking all the questions, Matty Ashton spilled a high ball to give Wigan a scrum 15m out, which saw the Warriors knock on the door before Williams knocked the ball on at his own goal line. Wigan started the fresh set as Bevan French flew in for Wigan’s second of the afternoon. Harry Smith converted once more and it was 12-2.

Right before the hooter Bevan French shimmied his way towards to the goal line again, with two defenders on him he reached behind his head to ground the ball but the referee sent it for a second opinion and the effort was chalked off for a double movement. The Warriors did go into the break though with a 10-point advantage.

It was an even contest from the restart but Wigan had a good opportunity in the 51st minute as a dangerous kick from Smith was allowed to bounce before Warrington were penalised for pushing Marshall off the ball. The Warriors tried to carve an opportunity but the Wolves saw out the set for the turnover of possession.

Wigan went over for a third in the 56th minute as Jai Field sent the second rower flying through a gap in the defence to race away and score. The video referee was called into action but the score was confirmed as Wigan extended their lead in the Final. Harry Smith made it three-from-three off the kicking 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 as they crossed for their first try of the contest with Matt Dufty cutting inside to dive in under the uprights. Thewlis converted and it was 18-8 in Wigan’s favour with 15 minutes to play.

With 8 minutes to go Wigan were in good field position as Harry Smith hit a drop goal attempt but it was off target and it remained 18-8 to the Warriors. Matt Peet’s Wigan side held firm for the final minutes to confirm an emphatic victory back 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.

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

18th Player: Stefan Ratchford.

Tries: Dufty (63′)

Goals: 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.

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

18th Player: Sam Walters.

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

Goals: Smith 3/3

Sin Bin: Cooper (2′)

Attendance: 64,845

Referee: Chris Kendall.