WIGAN WARRIORS claimed their second piece of silverware this season by successfully defending their Nines title as the event returned at Leeds’ West Park on Saturday.
Denis Betts’ Challenge Cup winners found themselves in a three-team group following the withdrawal of Northumbria University, and kept both Barrow Raiders and Hull KR scoreless to easily secure top spot.
Fellow Super League sides Leeds Rhinos, Huddersfield Giants and York Valkyrie topped their respective groups, while Championship outfits Swinton Lionesses and Cardiff Demons joined St Helens and Barrow Raiders in progressing to the quarter-finals as the main contest hit the knockout stages.
As in the group stages, Wigan did not concede a point as they defeated St Helens 31-0 in the quarter-final and the Swinton 25-0 in the semi-final.
They faced Huddersfield in the final, where they claimed a 12-0 win to become the first team to retain the title.
Remaining Super League sides Warrington Wolves and Leigh Leopards had to make do with qualification for the Cup competition, which the Leopards went on to win, 15-8 over London Broncos in the final.
As well as Northumbria University, Scotland and North Wales Crusaders didn’t take part as planned, leading to some late changes to the schedule.
It meant Wakefield Trinity and Leamington Royals, the two sides who finished bottom of the four-team groups, played each other in the Shield final, with the Yorkshire side winning 19-0.
GROUP STAGES
Group A
Leeds Rhinos 31 Warrington Wolves 0
Warrington Wolves 4 Swinton Lionesses 22
Leeds Rhinos 15 Swinton Lionesses 0
Group B
Huddersfield Giants 12 St Helens 0
St Helens 40 Leamington Royals 0
Huddersfield Giants 18 London Broncos 4
St Helens 15 London Broncos 10
Huddersfield Giants 42 Leamington Royals 0
London Broncos 30 Leamington Royals 0
Group C
Wigan Warriors 48 Hull KR 0
Wigan Warriors 26 Barrow Raiders 0
Barrow Raiders 20 Hull KR 4
Group D
Leigh Leopards 10 Wakefield Trinity 8
Leigh Leopards 12 York Valkyrie 13
Cardiff Demons 17 Wakefield Trinity 4
Cardiff Demons 8 York Valkyrie 8
Cardiff Demons 19 Leigh Leopards 19
York Valkyrie 15 Wakefield Trinity 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarter-finals
St Helens 0 Wigan Warriors 31
Huddersfield Giants 22 Barrow Raiders 0
Cardiff Demons 0 Swinton Lionesses 7
York Valkyrie 8 Leeds Rhinos 11
Semi-finals
Huddersfield Giants 8 Leeds Rhinos 4
Wigan Warriors 25 Swinton Lionesses 0
Final
Wigan Warriors 12 Huddersfield Giants 0
CUP
Semi-finals
Hull KR 0 London Broncos 10
Warrington Wolves 0 Leigh Leopards 21
Final
Leigh Leopards 15 London Broncos 8
SHIELD
Final
Wakefield Trinity 19 Leamington Royals 0