Wigan Warriors have struck first against Hull KR as they battle to join Catalans Dragons in the Super League Grand Final.
Wigan will have feared a repeat of last year’s semi-final defeat to Leeds Rhinos where they had so much pressure early on only for Leeds to absorb and turn the game around.
This time Wigan have started fast scoring through Liam Marshall first before a chip over the top found Jai Field.
It looked like Liam Moore was going to disallow the try for a knock on but Field was adamant he needed to check it and check it he did with the try then given by video referee Ben Thaler.
The teams are facing off for a fifth time this season at the DW on Saturday for a 12:45pm kick-off with Wigan sitting as heavy favourites having won the League Leaders Shield and earned themselves a bye week.
As for Rovers they enter having dispatched Leigh Leopards at Craven Park last week in a professional performance that made it six wins on the spin, but against Wigan they face a team that are on a winning run of eight games.
During that spell of eight games Wigan hosted the Robins but they faced a much changed and very youthful KR side and put them to the sword 64-6, however the previous three meetings have been far tighter.
Rovers won on opening day before then losing in golden point thanks to an incredible Bevan French break that set up a Liam Farrell hattrick.
The other clash between these two was another semi-final with Rovers edging Wigan 11-10 in golden point drama once again to make it to the Challenge Cup Final and the Robins will be trying to draw on that experience.
Wigan aim to reach Old Trafford for the first time since 2020.
It’s just one change for Wigan with Iain Thornley being replaced by Willie Isa who could be set for his 200th game, whilst skipper Liam Farrell could hit 350 Wigan appearances.
The match will also potentially be Hull KR skipper Shaun Kenny-Dowall’s last with the former Kiwi international set to retire at the end of the season, whilst it’s yet another ‘Battle of the Kings’ between brothers Toby and George.
