Match Report – Wigan 40 – 10 Hull KR

Wigan Warriors beat Hull KR to win record-extending 22nd Challenge Cup title

Wigan Warriors scored seven tries in a 40-10 win over Hull KR in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

The teams last met at Wembley in 2024 and, just like on that occasion, the Warriors did the spoils – claiming their first silverware since 2024, their 22nd Challenge Cup win and the eighth trophy under coach Matt Pitt.

It was 20-year-old Jack Farimond who was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for his scintillating display in the halves, with Pitt again trying to fit him and Bevan French into his squad for the encounter.

Jack Farimond starred in Wigan’s Challenge Cup win

Wigan had a 10-4 half-time lead thanks to Farimond’s superb double, with Adam Keighran adding the extra for the second.

The Robins hit back as Peta Hiku broke away to score with 10 seconds left in the first half. Rhys Martin, however, hit the post with his conversion attempt.

The second half was completely controlled by the Warriors. After Junior Nsemba went over and Adam Keighran ran into a double, the French tried to come back from injury before Luke Thompson rounded out their score.

Farimond was electric as he went over twice for Wigan

Hiku went over again for Hull KR but it was only a temporary setback to Wigan’s dominance.

However, the game ended on a sour note for Wigan as Sam Walters was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Bill Leyland with just two minutes remaining.

Following Wigan Warriors Women’s 54-6 win over St Helens earlier, Wigan became the first club to see both men’s and women’s teams win on the same day at Wembley.

Wigan regained their dominance when the Robins lost at Wembley

In hindsight, the Robins can feel the most important moment of the match, the place they lost, was two minutes and 53 seconds later. Instrumental forward Dean Hadley suffered an injury that ruled him out of the match and they struggled in the middle without his physical presence.

About a minute after his withdrawal, Wigan opened the scoring. After a Jack Broadbent knock-on, Wigan produced a scrum play that saw Farimond turn Hiku inside and bag his first try.

Hull KR lost Dean Hadley in the opening minutes of the final

Both teams went at it after that, but it was Wigan who always seemed to have the upper hand. Even when Rovers got into dangerous positions they never worried the Warriors.

Farimond was at it again on 35 minutes, slicing through the Rovers defense with a dart on the line before rounding Broadbent to score with the stick.

It looked as if Wigan would hold on to a 10-0 lead at the break, but, late in the half, Rovers hit back. Hiku chased down a speculative kick and beat a hesitant Noah Hodkinson to the ball before showing great determination to get over the line despite the best efforts of Jay Field. Martin hit the post with a conversation to leave the score 10-4 at half-time.

It seemed like a lifeline for Hull KR. Alas, it was not.

Peta Hiku struck back with seconds left before the break

The second half was a one-sided affair as Wigan outplayed their opponents and ran off a pile of points from that platform.

It took just four minutes of the second half to get on the scoresheet, riding high with kicks. Wigan’s ability to get forward and create easy meters caused the Robins all sorts of problems.

Keghran then got in twice in the space of three minutes, after an ingenious chip from Harry Smith set up a looping pass from Brad O’Neill. He was also accurate with the boot, and, after converting three tries, his side were dominant 28-4 on 25 minutes for Hull KR to, frankly, survive.

Junior Nsemba went first to the second 40

Just when it looked like things couldn’t get any worse for Willie Peters, Pete brought in Lance Todd Trophy winner Farimond and replaced him with French as he returned from 12 weeks out with a hamstring injury.

In typical French style, he took just five minutes on the field to get in on the scoring action as he backed up a Hodkinson break downfield and slotted through Lewis to score.

Farimond learns he won the Lance Todd Trophy

Hull KR struck again with 10 minutes left on the clock when Hiku headed over for his second of the game, bringing the score to 34-10, but it was a brief respite from Wigan’s scoring. Indeed, Eckersley danced again to set up Thompson just four minutes later.

There was a bittersweet moment to end Wigan’s final when Walters was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Leyland, with Hooker falling on his head, meaning the Warriors were down a man with two minutes to go in the final. With this, Walters has the unfortunate position of receiving his first red card in a Challenge Cup final since 1993.

Pete: I wasn’t going to put French

Wigan head coach Matt Peat told BBC Sport…

“Very happy, this type of game you want to win one-point, so to win in this manner, I am very, very proud.

“The lads have worked hard for it, we’ve had some soft tries, but I’ll get over it. Very proud of the club.

“I wasn’t going to put Bev (French), I asked him: ‘Are you bored?’ And his response was that he was some p***** off!”

Peters: They wanted it more

Hull KR head coach Willie Peters told BBC Sport…

“Wigan were outstanding, we weren’t today. They wanted it more and they deserved to win.

“I thought we were a bit flat in the first half. I thought they had more energy than us. Wigan were very good today.

“We have to look inward — I have to look inward, too. If we look inward, we can fix things.”

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