The 2024 Challenge Cup Final was the 123rd final of the Rugby Football League's Challenge Cup knock-out competition.[1] The final was contested by Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves. This was the first time since 1990 that both teams had met in the final.

Quick Facts Challenge Cup Final (), Warrington Wolves ...
2024 (2024) Challenge Cup Final  ()
12 Total
WAR 26 8
WIG 126 18
Date8 June 2024, 15:07
StadiumWembley Stadium
LocationLondon, United Kingdom
Lance Todd TrophyBevan French
God Save The King
and Abide with Me
Katherine Jenkins
RefereeChris Kendall
Attendance64,845
Broadcast partners
 2023
2025 
Close

Background

The 2024 Challenge Cup final will be only the second time Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves have played each other in the cup final – the first in 1990. Outside of the final, there have been 23 previous meetings in the cup.[2]

Wigan have won the competition a record 20 times, and enter the 2024 final as world champions. Their most recent final was in 2022, their first since 2013, beating Huddersfield Giants.

Warrington's most recent final was in 2019 beating St Helens to win their ninth title, one year after their Wembley defeat to Catalans Dragons.

Upon qualification for the final, Wigan were first in Super League with Warrington in third. Both teams however, were level on points though Wigan had a game in hand.

Route to the final

Wigan Warriors

More information Round, Opposition ...
Round Opposition Venue Score
Sixth round Sheffield Eagles DW Stadium 44–18[3][4]
Quarter-final Castleford Tigers Wheldon Road 60–6[5][6]
Semi-final Hull KR Eco-Power Stadium 38–6[7][8]
Close

Warrington Wolves

More information Round, Opposition ...
Round Opposition Venue Score
Sixth round London Broncos Halliwell Jones Stadium 42–0[9]
Quarter-final St Helens Totally Wicked Stadium 31–8[10]
Semi-final Huddersfield Giants Totally Wicked Stadium 46–10[11]
Close

Pre-match

British mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins sang the national anthem and Abide with Me ahead of the match. Jenkins was supported by British DJ Alex Simmons in providing the pre match entertainment.[12]

Prior to the game, the women's final was played and was won 22–0 by St Helens against Leeds.[13][14] Wigan's St Peter's Catholic High School won the Year 7 School's Final against Cardiff's Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf.[15]

Wigan's Adam Keighran and Tyler Dupree missed the final after both picking up a Grade D charge, three-match domestic ban following their Super League game against Warrington a week before the final. Keighran received a red card for a reckless tackle, and Dupree was charged with a headbutt, which was missed by the match official.[16]

Following the death of Rob Burrow on 2 June, the RFL announced that kick-off for the final would be put back from 3pm to 3:07pm to honour Rob and the number seven shirt he wore. Rob's death was commemorated with a minute's silence before kick-off and with a minute's applause during the seventh minute of the game.[17][18]

Match details

More information Warrington Wolves, 8–18 ...
Warrington Wolves 8–18 Wigan Warriors
Tries: Dufty 63'
Goals: Thewlis (2/2) 10' (pen), 64
report
Tries: Eckersley 17', French 23', Farrell 57'
Goals: Smith (3/3) 18', 24' 58'
Close
Saturday, 8 June 2024
3:07pm (BST)
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 64,685
Referee: Chris Kendall
Touch judges: Johnny Roberts, Richard Thompson
Lance Todd Trophy: Bevan French

Teams

More information Warrington Wolves, Position ...
Team details
Warrington WolvesPositionWigan Warriors
NameNumberNumberName
Matt Dufty yellow card 4' to 14'11Jai Field
Josh Thewlis22Abbas Miski
Toby King326Zach Eckersley
Rodrick Tai144Jake Wardle
Matty Ashton55Liam Marshall
George Williams66Bevan French
Josh Drinkwater77Harry Smith
James Harrison downward-facing red arrow 25' upward-facing green arrow 54'814Mike Cooper yellow card 3' to 13' downward-facing red arrow 26' upward-facing green arrow 65'
Danny Walker downward-facing red arrow 47' upward-facing green arrow 61'99Brad O'Neill downward-facing red arrow 29' upward-facing green arrow 55'
Paul Vaughan downward-facing red arrow 29' upward-facing green arrow 42'1016Luke Thompson downward-facing red arrow 33' upward-facing green arrow 55'
Matty Nicholson1321Junior Nsemba downward-facing red arrow 75'
Lachlan Fitzgibbon downward-facing red arrow 42'1212Liam Farrell
Ben Currie1113Kaide Ellis
Zane Musgrove upward-facing green arrow 50'168Ethan Havard upward-facing green arrow 26' downward-facing red arrow 65'
Joe Bullock upward-facing green arrow 29'1910Liam Byrne upward-facing green arrow 41' downward-facing red arrow 55'
Jordan Crowther upward-facing green arrow 25'1715Patrick Mago upward-facing green arrow 33' downward-facing red arrow 41'
Sam Powell upward-facing green arrow 47'3217Kruise Leeming upward-facing green arrow 29' downward-facing red arrow 55'
Stefan Ratchford (not used)418Sam Walters (not used)
Sam Burgess
Coach
Matt Peet
Close

With less than 2 minutes played, Warrington were awarded a penalty, after former Warrington player Mike Cooper, was penalised for a head contact tackle, to which he was then shown a yellow card, and Wigan were down to 12 players for the next 10 minutes.

Two minutes later, Wigan were awarded a penalty, with Matt Dufty also being sent to the sin bin for a high tackle.

The first points of the game went to Warrington inside 10 minutes, after Wigan were penalised for offside, and Josh Thewlis opted to kick for goal, to which he was successful. Warrington 2–0 Wigan.

With 17 minutes of the game played, Wigan scored the first try of the game, after Bevan French kicked the ball through, for Zach Eckersley to touch down, but the referee wanted confirmation from the video referee, to see if he had grounded the ball. (On field decision: try). after reviewing the replay, the try was awarded. Harry Smith's conversion was successful, and Wigan lead 6–2.

Six minutes later, Wigan scored their 2nd try of the game, as Smith offloaded for French to touch down near the posts – Smith again successful with the conversion, and Wigan lead 12–2.

Wigan then thought they had scored their 3rd try just before half time, but after a lengthy review from the video referee, Bevan French was denied, as it was deemed a double movement/knock on.

Half time: Warrington 2–12 Wigan.

Two minutes into the second half, Matty Ashton almost found a break out wide, but Abbas Miski and Zach Eckersley managed to tackle him into touch.

Five minutes later, Liam Marshall almost scored in the corner, but he was tackled into touch, and Warrington got the ball back.

On 55 minutes, Wigan scored again, with Liam Farrell finding a gap through the middle of the pitch, and running 30 metres, to score Wigan's 3rd try of the game. Smith again successful with the conversion.

Warrington 2–18 Wigan.

With time running out, Warrington knew they had to score soon, and on 65 minutes, Matt Dufty touched down under the posts, with Thewlis converting. Warrington 8–18 Wigan.

Final Score: Warrington 8–18 Wigan.

Post match

Following the game the 2024 1895 Cup final was played. Wakefield Trinity beat Sheffield Eagles 50–6.[19]

See also

References

Wikiwand in your browser!

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.

Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.