Wigan Warriors are Challenge Cup winners for the 20th time in their history after a nailbiting 16-14 win over Huddersfield Giants.
It took until the 77th minute for Liam Marshall to latch on to a Harry Smith kick through after Huddersfield had been leading for a period of time in the second-half.
Utter heartbreak was strewn amongst the Giants players’ faces at full-time as Wigan supporters ran into raptures, but a lot of rugby league fans were drawn to two incidents in the second forty minutes.
The Warriors’ Morgan Smithies is one of the toughest forwards in Super League, but he has sometimes been on the wrong side of the discipline line and that was evident in the Challenge Cup Final when he hit two Huddersfield players with swinging arms.
The second on Ricky Leutele was particularly bad following a break by the powerful centre, yet referee James Child decided not to send the Wigan for a ten-minute breather.
That, however, proved to be a big talking point until Marshall delivered the killer blow with two minutes to go.
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Dai
May 29, 2022 at 8:28 am
Smithies should have been in the bin and marshal was a mile off side , child ignored a host of crimes he should hang his head in shame .. I’m disgusted with the whole thing ,he ruined a fantastic blood and guts game from the first whistle !
Graham Codd
May 30, 2022 at 8:22 am
I was uncertain whether Marshall was in front of the kicker and had to play it back several times, while he was close, I’m certain he was onside. The offside rule is very poorly controlled at playing the ball and Huddersfield exploit this to the full, refs are reluctant to penalise because it’s partly controlled by the linesman, the attacking side still has the ball and it means stopping the match.
Stuart Pimblett
May 30, 2022 at 7:24 pm
If it had been a Huddersfield try, He would have gone to the video ref.
Graham Codd
May 31, 2022 at 1:55 pm
What makes you think that? The ref didn’t refer any of Huddersfield’s 3 tries to the video ref? The captain can ask the ref to do this if he thinks there was a problem with the try.
F T
May 29, 2022 at 2:37 pm
What happened to outlawing contact with the head? If that same thing happens the next time he refs a Cas match it will be a guaranteed sin bin for the first and red for a repeat offence for the second.
Me
May 29, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Typical wigan. Get away with everything
Big al
May 30, 2022 at 8:41 am
Love a bad loser
Philip Sidebottom
May 29, 2022 at 10:29 pm
Smithies should have had 10 minutes in the bin for the first straight arm and sent off for the second. Maybe the ref and his assistants should be sent on a refresher course AND have to take an eyesight test.