Warrington 8 – 18 Wigan

Tries from Zach Eckersley, Lance Todd Trophy winner Bevan French and Liam Farrell, plus three conversions from Harry Smith, secured an 18-8 victory for Wigan Warriors over Warrington Wolves within the males’s Problem Cup last at Wembley; tributes had been paid to Rob Burrow CBE all through the day

Sam Burgess’ hopes of claiming the Problem Cup in his first season as Warrington Wolves head coach had been dashed as Wigan Warriors triumphed 18-8 in Saturday’s last at Wembley.

On an emotional day which noticed the rugby league group commemorate the lifetime of Rob Burrow CBE, tempers flared within the opening minutes of the sport as each Mike Cooper and Matt Dufty had been despatched to the sin bin for harmful tackles in fast succession.

Though Josh Thewlis kicked Warrington forward from a penalty purpose, it was Wigan who led 12-2 at half-time due to transformed tries from Zach Eckersley, making solely his third begin for the membership instead of the suspended Adam Keighran, and Bevan French.

A 3rd from skipper Liam Farrell approaching the halfway level of the second half put the Warriors firmly on the right track for a record-extending twenty first triumph within the knockout competitors and though Dufty grabbed one for the Wolves, there was no means again for his aspect.

Story of the sport

In addition to being one in every of rugby league’s showpiece occasions, this 12 months’s Problem Cup last noticed the game come collectively to pay tribute to Burrow following his loss of life final Sunday on the age of 41 following a four-and-a-half-year battle with motor neurone illness.

A minute’s silence was noticed earlier than each the ladies’s and males’s finals, together with a minute’s applause on the seventh minute of every recreation, whereas Burrow’s picture was on show on the massive screens at Wembley. Followers left tributes on the Rugby League Statue outdoors the bottom as effectively.

When play did start at 3.07pm, a time chosen to honour Burrow, any doubts about simply how intense the newest chapter of this rivalry can be had been dispelled within the opening three minutes as each groups had gamers despatched to the sin bin by referee Chris Kendall.

Warrington’s Matt Dufty was sin-binned early on

Former Wolves prop Cooper was the primary participant to be dispatched, present a yellow card for slight contact with the top, and he was quickly adopted by Dufty after the Warrington full-back went in excessive and sparked a melee between each groups.

Issues settled down after these fractious opening exchanges and it was Warrington who edged in entrance after 9 minutes due to goal-kicking winger Josh Thewlis slotting over from a penalty after Wigan had been caught offside in defence.

The Warriors had been quickly within the ascendancy although, seizing their likelihood off the again of an offside penalty on 17 minutes and it was 20-year-old Eckerlsey who was readily available to dab down French’s grubber kick in behind the defence for a strive in opposition to the membership his father, Chris, performed for within the Nineteen Nineties.

Zach Eckersley crashed over for a strive on solely his third Wigan begin

Reigning Man of Metal French went from supplier to scorer six minutes later, displaying a few of his trademark magic to ghost previous former Wigan team-mate Toby King and end for a second transformed strive.

Matt Peet’s aspect had been firmly within the ascendancy after that, whereas Warrington had been partly the architects of their very own downfall as they got here up with a number of uncharacteristic errors.

The intervention of the video referee on the stroke of half time, deeming French responsible of a double motion as he reached out to floor the ball over the try-line and upholding Mr Kendall’s on-field ‘no strive’ name, prevented the Wolves falling additional behind on the break.

Wigan’s Bevan French scored a attempt to was named Lance Todd Trophy winner

Having seen out an early spell of stress following the restart which was ended when Matty Ashton was gang-tackled into contact, Wigan moved additional in entrance within the 56th minute when the ball was labored via the arms of Harry Smith and Jai Area to ship Farrell racing away from round 40 metres out to complete.

That appeared to gentle a fireplace underneath the Wolves although and having been camped on Wigan’s line following a repeat set and a goal-line drop-out, Dufty bought the ball and carved his means via the defence for a strive with simply over 1 / 4 of an hour remaining.

However that was nearly as good because it bought for Warrington they usually had been unable to make additional inroads, as Wigan celebrated their first Wembley triumph for 11 years, with their final Problem Cup win in 2022 having come at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What’s subsequent?

Warrington Wolves are again in Betfred Tremendous League motion on Friday, June 14 once they host Salford Purple Devils stay on Sky Sports activities Enviornment (8pm). Wigan Warriors journey to Castleford Tigers on the identical night in a match stay on Sky Sports activities Motion (8pm).

Watch each match of the 2024 Betfred Tremendous League season, together with Magic Weekend, the play-offs, and males’s, ladies’s, and wheelchair Grand Finals, stay on Sky Sports activities. Additionally stream with NOW.