Wigan thrash Saints to win first Women's Challenge Cup

Betfred Women's Challenge Cup final

St Helens (0) 6

Try: Mottershead Goal: Gaskin

Wigan (18) 42

Tries: Williams, Coleman, Veivers, Rowe, Hunter, Banks, Davies Goals: Rowe 7

Wigan Warriors ran successful 7 tries to thrash St Helens and triumph nan Women's Challenge Cup for nan first time, ending their rivals' clasp connected nan trophy.

The Cherry and Whites were up wrong 10 minutes erstwhile Megan Williams touched down and they edged further successful beforehand done Mary Coleman.

Emily Veivers charged done for Wigan's 3rd effort and an 18-0 half-time lead, and Isabel Rowe picked up wherever they near disconnected aft nan break by scoring minutes into nan 2nd half.

Saints sewage connected nan committee done Katie Mottershead but Eva Hunter, Grace Banks and Anna Davies ensured Wigan would gain a derby triumph connected nan biggest shape of a Wembley final.

It is nan first clip that Wigan person won nan title since its inception successful 2012 and ends St Helens' tally of 4 consecutive wins successful nan tourney successful 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Warriors' triumph besides intends that leader Denis Betts, who won 7 Challenge Cups pinch Wigan arsenic a player, claimed his first portion of silverware arsenic a coach.

Wigan and St Helens' only gathering successful nan Women's Challenge Cup anterior to this last was successful 2021 erstwhile Saints won 36-0 astatine nan quarter-final shape connected their measurement to winning their first of 4 finals connected nan trot.

St Helens person dominated overmuch of nan women's crippled successful nan past 5 years.

But a reinvigorated Wigan person started 2025 successful stunning manner to lead nan early Women's Super League array and subordinate Saints, Leeds Rhinos and York among nan powerhouses of nan home game.

They were mightily awesome successful beating past year's finalists Leeds successful nan semi-finals and immoderate hint that they would beryllium unnerved by nan juncture was banished arsenic Rowe trim done nan St Helens defence to provender Williams to tally successful done nan posts for their first score.

Wigan past tore done Saints aft Faye Gaskin's footwear was charged down, starring to Molly Jones teeing up Coleman to title done unopposed.

Perhaps Wigan's finest effort came erstwhile Veivers, who later went disconnected pinch an limb wounded and was pictured connected nan sidelines pinch it successful a sling, collected nan shot heavy wrong nan Saints' 10-metre statement and managed to batter her measurement done to nan line, showing sensational spot to score.

Any inkling that Wigan simply had enjoyed nan swipe of nan greenish successful nan first half was ended arsenic Rowe weaved her measurement successful for a effort of her ain having been laser-focused pinch nan footwear during nan opening stages.

Mottershead collapsed complete arsenic Saints yet responded but tries from Hunter, an audacious long-range run-in from Banks, and an easy dot down astatine nan area from Davies wrapped up a well-earned and historical triumph for Wigan.

St Helens coach Craig Richards told BBC Sport:

"First and foremost, congratulations to Wigan I thought they were really bully today.

"We didn't rather nail what we talked astir and against a broadside for illustration Wigan, if you don't get nan item right, this is what you extremity up with.

"You've sewage to find power and nan measurement to find power is to instrumentality pinch your system. I deliberation we panicked early doors, we fto successful a mates of tries that were alien successful position that we would mostly make teams activity harder.

"This Wigan broadside is simply a bully broadside but truthful are we. We cognize we are, we conscionable request to beryllium amended connected nan day."

Wigan Warriors leader Denis Betts told BBC Sport:

"I cognize nan people statement looks really beardown but it's a really reliable game. Both sides were really competitive, you saw immoderate really talented athletes retired location coming and I conscionable thought our shape is really good.

"I thought Mary Coleman for 70 minutes was nan subordinate connected nan section by a agelong way. She's sewage truthful overmuch energy. She's reliable to tackle but she's besides quick.

"They were tense coming into this game. Emotions were moving chaotic but we managed to calm it, we've knowledgeable it now, we've won a monolithic game. They tin usage nan accomplishment of nan crippled to push that connected again.

"We are not mounting immoderate extremity aliases targets but that's what's successful beforehand of them, to support getting better."

St Helens: Salihi; Hook, McColm, Hardcastle, McGifford; Harris, Gaskin; Stott, Casey, Crowl, Hoye, Rudge, Cunningham.

Interchanges: Whitfield, Mottershead, Sutherland, Woosey.

Wigan: Banks; Davies, Wilson, Jones, Derbyshire; Foubister, Rowe; Coleman, Wilton, Speakman, Hunter, Power, Williams.

Interchanges: Marsh, Molyneux, Thompson, Veivers.