Wigan Warriors dismantled Hull KR 40-10 at Wembley Stadium to claim a record-extending 22nd Challenge Cup title—their first piece of silverware since 2024. Under coach Matt Peet, this marks an eighth trophy, reinforcing a dynasty that shows no signs of fading. The victory also etched a historic double into the annals, as Wigan’s women had earlier crushed St Helens 54-6, making the club the first to see both their men’s and women’s teams prevail on the same day at Wembley.
The day belonged to 20-year-old halfback Jack Farrimond, whose dazzling display earned him the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match. His two first-half tries—the first after just four minutes when he turned Peta Hiku inside out from a scrum play, and the second on 35 minutes after slicing through the Robins’ defence—set the tone. Farrimond’s emergence presents Peet with a welcome selection conundrum: how to accommodate both him and the returning Bevan French in the same lineup. French, back after 12 weeks out with a hamstring injury, needed only five minutes on the pitch to cross the whitewash, underlining Wigan’s embarrassment of riches.
Hull KR’s challenge suffered a devastating blow just three minutes in when instrumental forward Dean Hadley was concussed and ruled out for the match. His physicality and leadership were sorely missed in the middle, and Wigan ruthlessly exploited the gap. Barely a minute after Hadley’s withdrawal, Farrimond opened the scoring, and the Robins struggled thereafter to match the Warriors’ intensity and gain any real foothold.
Although Wigan dominated territory, Hull KR clung on and found a lifeline with 10 seconds remaining in the first half. Peta Hiku chased down a speculative kick, beat a hesitant Noah Hodkinson to the ball, and powered over despite Jai Field’s cover tackle. Rhyse Martin’s conversion hit the post, leaving the score 10-4 at the break. It felt like a momentum shift, but it proved a false dawn.
The second half was a procession. Four minutes after the restart, Junior Nsemba climbed highest for a kick to score, and then Adam Keighran grabbed two tries in three minutes—first from an inventive Harry Smith chip, then from a looping Brad O’Neill pass. Keighran’s flawless boot extended the lead to 28-4 with 25 minutes still to play, breaking any remaining resistance.
French’s introduction from the bench added stardust. On 64 minutes, he backed up a Hodkinson break, stepped inside the full-back, and touched down to a roaring ovation. Hull KR managed a brief riposte through Hiku’s second try, but normal service resumed when Zach Eckersley danced through the defence to set up Luke Thompson for Wigan’s seventh score.
The contest ended on a sour note for the victors. With two minutes remaining, Sam Walters was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Bill Leyland, whose head struck the turf. It was the first sending-off in a Challenge Cup final since 1993—an unwanted footnote to an otherwise glorious day. Walters will face a suspension that could rule him out of crucial upcoming fixtures.
For Hull KR, the defeat was a sobering lesson. Head coach Willie Peters admitted, “Wigan were outstanding, we weren’t today. They wanted it more and they deserved the win.” Without Hadley’s steel, his side were battered in the middle and looked flat, rarely threatening to trouble a well-drilled Warriors outfit. The Robins must regroup quickly to salvage their Super League campaign.
Wigan’s eighth trophy under Peet continues a remarkable era. With a blend of homegrown talent like Farrimond and worldly stars like French and Thompson, the depth is the envy of the competition. The red card for Walters is a minor cloud, but the broader picture is of a club that has re-established itself as the benchmark in knockout rugby league. As the Warriors paraded the trophy around Wembley, the message was clear: this dynasty is built to last.
Based on reporting from Sky Sports.