Betfred Challenge Cup final
Warrington (6) 6
Tries: Thewlis Goals: Sneyd
Hull KR (2) 8
Tries: Davies Goals: Lewis 2
Hull KR showed their title-winning credentials as they beat Warrington Wolves at Wembley to win a first Challenge Cup since 1980 courtesy of Tom Davies’ late try.
The Super League leaders left it late as Davies made a tremendous last-ditch dive to ground the ball from Tyrone May’s grubber kick, while Mikey Lewis kicked the extras to make sure of victory.
Josh Thewlis’ dive to the corner just before the break had given the Wire a four-point lead heading into the second half.
Much of an attritional game was played with heavy rain and wind during an unseasonably chilly day in the capital, as Warrington were unable to add to their lead before KR’s late rally and with three minutes left on the clock Davies pounced to ensure their long trophy drought came to an end in dramatic fashion.
Not wanting a repeat of last year’s final, where they were overawed by the occasion and let the game get ahead of them, the Wire hit the ground running early on.
Adam Holroyd pounced on a loose ball to go over in the corner and thought he had given the Warrington the lead, but the try was chalked off by video referee Jack Smith after Rodrick Tai was found to have ripped the ball out of Jack Broadbent’s hands in the tackle.
Reigning Man of Steel Lewis was bound to be influential for KR and it proved to be the case as he kicked over the penalty to send his side ahead just before the half-hour mark in a cagey opening half.
Such was the impact that the rain had, the decisive moment of the first period came when Williams’ kick was spilled by Joe Burgess, leading to the Wire being given another set of six deep in KR’s half.
Warrington wasted no time in making their advantage count, teeing up Josh Thewlis to cross while Marc Sneyd added the extras with a sensational kick from the touchline right on the hooter.
Whereas rugby league’s last big event – the Rugby League Las Vegas event in March – was a high-scoring affair, this was anything but.
Not unlike last season’s Super League Grand Final, it was a tight and nervy affair, with the edginess of the first half drifting into the second.
Neither side gave much away as time ticked on and otherwise routine errors were cheered like tries by both sets of fans.
In the 2024 Grand Final, Hull KR were edged out by the quality on show by Wigan, but in this final they showed great resolve and were rewarded for their constant pressure right to the very end.
Warrington conceded a late penalty and Hull KR kept the ball alive, with May’s kick thwarting the Wire defence, as Arron Lindop failed to prevent Davies from touching down.
Still, that only levelled the scores at 6-6 and, despite what was riding on his kick, Lewis rose to the occasion to kick the decisive two points and write his name into the history books.
More to follow.
Warrington: Dufty; Thewlis, King, Tai, Lindop; Williams, Sneyd; Yates, Powell, Vaughan, Holroyd, Fitzgibbon, Currie
Interchanges: Harrison, Philbin, Crowther, Ratchford.
Hull KR: Broadbent; Davies, Hiku, Batchelor, Burgess; Lewis, May; Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Whitbread, Minchella.
Interchanges: Lutten, Luckley, Tanginoa, Brown
Referee: Liam Moore.
