Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess gave his verdict after watching his side beat St Helens 20-12 in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
It’s a win that puts Warrington just 80 minutes from Wembley, where they fell short last year, and standing in the Wolves’ way will be Leigh Leopards with the semi-final draw conducted at half-time of today’s match.
At the half, the score was just 6-6 meaning there was no clear indication of who would progress to the semi-finals but Warrington knocked a penalty over early in the second-half and that seemed to have a major influence.
A fortunate bouncing ball saw Ben Currie extend the lead to 14-6 before George Williams’ brilliant try restored that eight-point lead after Wire had previously been pegged back.
Whilst the game was far from a classic, it was certainly hard-fought and played in perfect conditions and Burgess spoke post-match on BBC Sport about that hard-fought nature, confirming: “It was a tough game. We knew it was going to be tough.
“I thought that we were good in patches, but we showed a lot of spirit.”
Spirited Saints can’t stop Warrington Wolves
🤩@WarringtonRLFC triumph and have taken the last spot in the #ChallengeCup Semi-Finals! pic.twitter.com/BwQCJSZ1dj
— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) April 6, 2025
The Warrington head coach also offered praise to St Helens who were forced to play ‘square pegs in round holes’ according to Paul Wellens as two failed HIAs in the game, as well as Harry Robertson’s fail last week, wreaked havoc among their backs.
Burgess explained: “I must say that I thought Saints played with a great deal of spirit, they’ve got a few guys in a concussion protocol and they had to move their team around.
“They’re got a really tough side so they’re going to be hard to beat later in the year but I thought it was a great contest.”
Warrington have had their own injury issues in the backs meaning Ben Currie has been playing in the centres and after his score in the second-half, Burgess spoke on how the game ‘opened up’.
The Warrington boss explained: “Ben’s very consistent, I thought the game opened up under a bit of fatigue later in the game and we got a bit of a bounce of the ball there and they got one later in the second half as well.”
“We’ve turned a corner” – Burgess gives Wire verdict
A semi final showdown with the Leopards 👀
Full details to follow tomorrow pic.twitter.com/2WNIar7ECh
— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) April 6, 2025
The win meant Warrington have ground out three consecutive results in which they’ve limited their opponents to 14 or less points, with defence something Burgess spoke on as he admitted to the club ‘turning a corner’.
He explained: “We’ve still got a long way to go with our defence but the efforts and the commitment to each other, I can’t question that. We’ve turned a corner.”
Among the things he wants his side to look at were errors, adding: “We had three play the ball errors and a couple of things that were uncharacteristic so there’s a bit to look at but I’m really proud of the effort and the commitment to the result.”
Those errors ensured the game was vert stop-start but the moment of brilliance that broke it open and sealed the win came from George Williams, with Burgess highlighting his captain’s heads up play to isolate second-row Joe Batchelor in the centres.
“George came up with that play at a big moment in the game when it could have gone either way,” Burgess explained.
“He recognised that Saints were missing Percy (Mark Percival) who went off with a head knock and George has picked it on the back of some broken field.”
Williams’ 60-metre score put the game beyond all doubt and helped move Warrington just 80 minutes from Wembley.
