Women's Challenge Cup final: Wigan Warriors thrash St Helens 54-6 at Wembley as Eva Hunter scores four tries

Wigan Warriors once again displayed their superiority over St Helens of recent times with a big Challenge Cup final win

Wigan Warriors further established themselves as the dominant force in women's rugby league with a 54-6 thrashing of St Helens in Saturday's Challenge Cup final at Wembley.

Wigan - treble winners in 2025 after lifting Super League, League Leaders' Shield and Challenge Cup titles - scored 10 tries in 2026's final through Georgia Wilson, Eva Hunter (four tries), Beri Salihi, Anna Davies (two), Grace Banks and Remi Wilton, utterly dominating from the off.

Izzy Rowe also added seven conversions with the boot, while all St Helens could register was a Luci McColm try.

The final proved bitterly disappointing for Saints - who won the Challenge Cup four years in a row between 2021 and 2024 - and all the more so as captain Jodie Cunningham and vice-captain Emily Rudge are retiring at the end of this season after glittering careers.

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Wigan's Eva Hunter proved a standout player on the day, with her electric pace too much for St Helens to contain

The scene was set for the final inside the opening two minutes when Cunningham knocked on within her own 20, setting about a sequence of Wigan attacking which was only stopped when Megan Williams knocked on under pressure from a big Faye Gaskin tackle.

Gaskin soon conceded a penalty for slowing play after a strong Bethan Dainton carry, however, and within moments Wigan captain Wilson was over for the opening try on a superb line.

Wigan captain Georgia Wilson scored their first try of the final in the sixth minute

Rowe added a sublime conversion for the full haul, and though Saints sought a quick repost - attacking through two sets after a Wigan ruck infringement granted six again - they were turned over on the last play after breaking into the Warriors 20.

In the 12th minute, Wigan had their second as Hunter demonstrated her electric pace to race in - the reigning Woman of Steel's speed just too much for St Helens to handle.

Four minutes later, Hunter had her second and a rampant Wigan's third as she glided past past Saints defenders seemingly at will - stepping past Leah Burke and accelerating beyond Rebecca Rotherham to finish.

Hunter's quick-fire double during the first period but Wigan in full control from an early stage

Things got worse for St Helens on 24 minutes with the concession of a fourth try: Jenna Foubister executing a long pass out to Ellise Derbyshire, who attracted two defenders down the same left edge that had been exposed for each try before passing inside to Salhili.

From there, the defence of Zoe Harris proved very poor, before Salhili stepped past Rotherham and sprinted in.

Beri Salihi scored Wigan's fourth of the first half as Saints proved no match for them

Three minutes from the end of the first period, Wigan had their fifth try as Davies sped in and dived for the corner, just keeping her knee up and not in touch while scoring.

St Helens notched a try in the final play of the first half through McColm, but less than a minute into the second Davies scored her second for Wigan as she romped past Rachel Woosey and Rotherham.

Wigan's Anna Davies scored tries either side of half-time

Shona Hoyle appeared to score a try in response for St Helens but it was ruled out by the video ref for a loss of control in the grounding, with Wigan ruthlessly scoring their seventh soon after, Banks tearing through the Saints defence to finish.

Hunter then burst to life again for Wigan, finishing from close range for her hat-trick score, and eight minutes later showing her strength allied to pace to bump defenders off and sprint clear for her fourth try of the final.

Hunter's talent was further displayed with two more second half tries - she is the reigning Woman of Steel

Just two minutes after Hunter's fourth, Warriors were over their 10th of the final through Wilton after great work from Wilson to jink on and offload inside, ultimately wrapping up a miserable afternoon for St Helens and triumphant one for Wigan.

Foubister: Victory amazing - everything we dreamed of

Wigan Warriors' Jenna Foubister, player of the match, speaking to BBC:

"It was absolutely amazing, it was everything we dreamed of as a team. We built up to this all through pre-season and all through last year and it's great that it's all paid off.

"We came into it knowing it was going to be a very tough game. We know what Saints are like, we know that they can turn up on a day, but I think we just executed much better and we all dug in.

"I'm glad we got the win."

Wigan Warriors' Anna Davies speaking to BBC:

"I'm a bit speechless. I thought last year was a statement but I think today the pressure was on us to do it and be able to execute it again.

"I thought it would be a real battle today because they're coming for us and to be able to weather that storm at the start was a bit chaotic, but we got our composure back and we were able to execute it at the end and we were able to enjoy it and relax into it. I think that's where we play our best.

"I'm really thankful for the opportunity to play here and to be able to do it with the girls."

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