Impressive Victory Over Local Rivals Leigh Leopards

Warrington Wolves secured their second consecutive Challenge Cup final appearance with a hard-fought victory over local rivals Leigh Leopards at the Totally Wicked Stadium. The Wolves, who will face Hull Kingston Rovers in the final on June 7, edged out the Leopards 21-14 in a pulsating match that saw both teams give it their all.

The Leopards started the game brightly, with Edwin Ipape putting them ahead in just 49 seconds. However, Warrington soon found their footing, with tries from Rodrick Tai, Paul Vaughan, and Toby King, and the impeccable kicking of Marc Sneyd putting the Wolves in control. Sneyd’s shrewd drop-goal with the last action of the first half kept daylight between the sides in sweltering conditions.

Leigh refused to give up, with Tesi Niu scoring twice in the second half, but Warrington held firm to spark scenes of celebration as they head to Wembley seeking their first Challenge Cup triumph since 2019. Warrington head coach Sam Burgess praised his team’s effort, saying, “I’m proud of them. We had a lot of bumps and bruises and lost both wingers, which is really hard to manage, and then lost Fitzy [Lachlan Fitzgibbon] but we’re used to it nowadays so we just get on with it.”

Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam was left frustrated and disappointed, saying, “I’m very frustrated and disappointed. It was just some dumb individual things at times and we couldn’t get the flow or find any rhythm in the game.” Despite the loss, the Leopards will look to pick themselves up quickly and regroup for their next match.

The Warrington Wolves will now look to build on this momentum as they head to Wembley, where they will face Hull Kingston Rovers in the final. With a strong team and a determined spirit, the Wolves are ready to give it their all and bring home their first Challenge Cup triumph since 2019.