Challenge Cup final 2026: Wigan Warriors score seven tries and cruise to 40-10 victory over Hull KR but Sam Walters sees red late on

Wigan Warriors clinched a record-extending 22nd Challenge Cup title with win over Hull KR

Wigan Warriors scored seven tries as they cruised to a 40-10 victory over Hull KR in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

These sides last met at Wembley back in 2024 and, just like on that occasion, the Warriors took the spoils - claiming their first silverware since 2024, their 22nd Challenge Cup win and eighth trophy under coach Matt Peet.

It was 20-year-old Jack Farrimond who was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for his dazzling display in the halves, marking again the headache Peet encounters trying to fit him and Bevan French into his side.

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Jack Farrimond starred as Wigan won the Challenge Cup

Wigan had a 10-4 half-time lead thanks to Farrimond's superb double, Adam Keighran adding the extras for the second.

The Robins hit back with 10 seconds of the first half remaining as Peta Hiku raced away to score. Rhyse Martin, however, hit the post with his conversion attempt.

The second half was then all about the Warriors as they took control. After Junior Nsemba went over and Adam Keighran ran in a double, French marked his return from injury with a try before Luke Thompson rounded out their scoring.

Farrimond was electric as he went over twice for Wigan

Hiku did go over again for Hull KR but it was only a temporary interruption in Wigan's dominance.

However, the game ended on a sour note for Wigan as Sam Walters was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Bill Leyland with just two minutes remaining.

Following Wigan Warriors Women's 54-6 victory over St Helens earlier, Wigan become the first club to see both the men's and women's teams prevail on the same day at Wembley.

Wigan reassert their dominance as Robins downed at Wembley

In hindsight, the Robins may feel the most pivotal moment of the match, the place they lost it, was after two minutes and 53 seconds. Instrumental forward Dean Hadley suffered a concussion ruling him out of the match and, without his physical presence, they struggled in the middle.

About a minute after his withdrawal, Wigan opened the scoring. Following a Jack Broadbent knock-on, Wigan produced a scrum play that saw Farrimond turn Hiku inside out and bag his first try.

Hull KR lost Dean Hadley in the opening few minutes of the final

Both teams went at it thereafter, but it was Wigan who always seemed to have the upper hand. Even when Rovers did get in dangerous positions they never truly worried the Warriors.

Farrimond was at it again on 35 minutes, slicing the Rovers defence up with a dart at the line before rounding Broadbent to score by the sticks.

It looked like Wigan would hold a 10-0 lead at the break, but, right at the end of the half, Rovers struck back. Hiku chased down a speculative kick and beat a hesitant Noah Hodkinson to the ball, before showing great determination to get over the line despite Jai Field's best efforts. Martin hit the post with the conversation, leaving the score 10-4 at half-time.

It felt like a lifeline for Hull KR. Alas, it was not.

Peta Hiku hit back with seconds remaining before the break

The second half was a one-sided affair as Wigan outmuscled their opponents and, from that platform, ran in a heap of points.

It took only four minutes of the second half for Nsemba to get on the scoresheet, climbing highest for a kick. Wigan's ability to roll forward and make easy metres causing the Robins all sorts of issues.

Keighran then went in twice in the space of three minutes, an inventive chip over the top from Harry Smith followed by a looping pass from Brad O'Neill setting up the centre. He was accurate with the boot too, and, after converting all three tries, his side had a dominant 28-4 advantage with 25 minutes for Hull KR to, frankly, survive.

Junior Nsemba was the first to go over in the second 40

Just when things looked like they could not get worse for Willie Peters' side, Peet got to bring off Lance Todd Trophy winner Farrimond and replace him with French as he returned after 12 weeks out with a hamstring injury.

In typical French style, he took only five minutes on the field to get in on the scoring action as he backed up a Hodkinson break downfield and stepped through Lewis to score.

Farrimond finds out he has won the Lance Todd Trophy

Hull KR hit back again with 10 minutes left on the clock when Hiku went over for his second, bringing the score to 34-10, but it was only a brief interlude in Wigan's scoring. Indeed, just four minutes later Eckersley danced through again to set up Thompson.

There was a sour moment to end Wigan's final when Walters was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Leyland, the hooker landing on his head, meaning the Warriors saw out the final two minutes a man down. With it, Walters holds the unfortunate stat of receiving the first red card in a Challenge Cup final since 1993.

Peet: I wasn't going to put French on

Wigan head coach Matt Peet to BBC Sport...

"Very pleased, games like this you'd take a one-point win, so to win in that manner, I'm very, very proud.

"The lads have worked hard for it, a couple of soft tries we've conceded, but I'll get over it. Very, very proud of the club.

"I wasn't going to put Bev [French] on, I asked him: 'Are you bothered?' and his reaction was that he was a bit p***** off!"

Peters: They wanted it more

Hull KR head coach Willie Peters to BBC Sport…

"Wigan were outstanding, we weren't today. They wanted it more and they deserved the win.

"I thought we were a bit flat all the way through the first half. I thought they had more energy than us. Wigan were very good today.

"We need to look internally - I need to look at myself as well. If we look internally, we can fix things."

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