WIGAN WARRIORS 40 HULL KR 10
STEPHEN IBBETSON, Wembley Stadium, Saturday

JACK FARRIMOND’S double set Wigan on their way to a record-extending 22nd Challenge Cup crown as Hull KR’s year-long dominance ended in emphatic fashion.

All the talk on the way to Wembley was of whether star man Bevan French would feature and, if so, what impact he would have.

In the event both Farrimond and French had roles to play in this fantastic triumph, but more so the 20-year-old homegrown talent who lit up the stage with two individual first-half tries.

After the break Farrimond set up another for Junior Nsemba, then a quick-fire double from the impressive Adam Keighran made it 28-4.

At that point, it seemed there would be no need for French, placed on the bench less than three months after suffering a hamstring injury that should have laid him out for four.

But on he came for Farrimond after 60 minutes, master replacing apprentice – and scoring a try within five minutes in front of Wigan’s ecstatic supporters.

In the event it was Hull KR’s number six, Mikey Lewis, who spent much of the game hampered by an injury, battling on but failing to have any great impact a year on from his match-winning conversion which sparked a run of four straight trophy wins for his club.

While they will surely come again and compete for further honours, it’s now certain that Wigan are back in business – and this battle between two great teams will surely run and run.

The only downside for the Warriors came with a minute and a half remaining, when Sam Walters foolishly dumped Bill Leyland to the ground head-first and received a red card with which he can have few complaints.

Otherwise – and following an equally decisive victory for their women in the day’s other big match – it was all cherry and white delight in the Wembley sunshine.

It took just six minutes for Farrimond to have a brilliant impact with a well-drilled scrum try.

Having forced the turnover through a fierce Walters tackle on Jack Broadbent, Wigan deceived their opponents by shaping to go right but passing left back out to Farrimond who, having initially fed the scrum, now set off on an arcing run to the line.

Keighran missed what should have been two easy conversion points, although it would be his only slip of the day.

The Warriors were sweating when Farrimond’s halfback partner Harry Smith went in hard and high on Tom Davies from a kick return, but referee Liam Moore was generous in not reaching towards his pocket.

Wigan continued to threaten and Lewis’ ankle tap halted a nicely-worked Jai Field break. Then from a drop-out, Jake Wardle was held up in front of the nervous Hull KR support.

Momentum turned with a blocked Farrimond kick which was knocked into the path of Tyrone May. Field, with help from Nsemba, did enough to stop him, and the Warriors then defended back-to-back sets camped on their line.

Poor discipline meant they couldn’t back up those efforts while May, whose fellow playmaker Lewis was by now hobbling around in some discomfort, dropped the ball when Hull KR were next in such good position.

And they were made to pay by Farrimond, who sliced through the Robins’ defence and rounded fullback Broadbent for a thrilling try four minutes before half-time.

There was a lengthy check on whether the gap had been created by fair means or foul, with Elliot Minchella tumbling to the ground after contact with lead runner Ethan Havard, but it was cleared and Keighran’s goal made it 10-0.

There was a late twist in the first-half tale when May chipped over the top and young winger Noah Hodkinson’s hesitance allowed Peta Hiku in to grab four points back on the hooter.

Rhyse Martin, on early when Dean Hadley suffered a head knock attempting to tackle Keighran, couldn’t add the extras.

But Wigan took decisive control from the restart.

Once again there was Farrimond magic involved – this time with the boot – plus the perfectly-timed leap from the giant Nsemba to score their third try.

Keighran converted, then scored two of his own in a devastating four-minute burst that effectively put the tie to bed.

Harry Smith chipped wide with precision on a last play for the centre’s first, then Keighran burst clear from a Patrick Mago offload and Brad O’Neill pass.

Enter French, who was almost away with his first touch only to be pulled back for a forward pass.

But he wasn’t to be denied when he followed up a thrilling Hodkinson break, stopped agonisingly short for the youngster by Oliver Gildart, by stepping past Lewis.

Hull KR replied ten minutes from time when Davies batted back a Lewis kick, Leyland offloaded and May passed wide for a second Hiku try, converted by Martin.

But three minutes later Wigan were celebrating again as Luke Thompson steamed over from a Zach Eckersley offload and Keighran added his sixth goal.

And Walters’ late moment of madness – aided by the equally careless Nsemba in the tackle – did not nothing to diminish the full-time joy.

GAMESTAR: Jack Farrimond came of age in a Wembley debut to remember.

GAMEBREAKER: Hull KR were reeling once Adam Keighran’s quick-fire double put Wigan way in front.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Once victory was assured, Wigan fans got the other thing they came for – a Bevan French try.

MATCHFACTS

WARRIORS
1 Jai Field
2 Zach Eckersley
3 Adam Keighran
4 Jake Wardle
28 Noah Hodkinson
19 Jack Farrimond
7 Harry Smith
14 Sam Walters
9 Brad O’Neill
10 Luke Thompson
11 Junior Nsemba
12 Liam Farrell
17 Oliver Partington
Subs (all used)
6 Bevan French
8 Ethan Havard
13 Kaide Ellis
15 Patrick Mago
18th man (not used)
25 Taylor Kerr
Also in 21-man squad
20 Sam Eseh
22 Tom Forber
23 Kian McDermott

Tries: Farrimond (6, 36), Nsemba (44), Keighran (52, 55), French (66), Thompson (73)
Goals: Keighran 6/7

HULL KR
14 Jack Broadbent
2 Tom Davies
3 Peta Hiku
4 Oliver Gildart
5 Joe Burgess
6 Mikey Lewis
7 Tyrone May
8 Sauaso Sue
9 Jez Litten
10 Tom Amone
11 Dean Hadley
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Subs (all used)
15 Sam Luckley
17 Rhyse Martin
18 Jack Brown
22 Bill Leyland
18th man (not used)
19 Karl Lawton
Also in 21-man squad
16 Jai Whitbread
20 Jordan Dezaria
21 Noah Booth

Tries: Hiku (40, 70)
Goals: Martin 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 10-4; 16-4, 22-4, 28-4, 34-4, 34-10, 40-10

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Warriors: Jack Farrimond; Hull KR: Peta Hiku

Penalty count: 4-2
Half-time: 10-4
Referee: Liam Moore