2009 Challenge Cup final

Route to final

Due to the way teams at different professional levels are introduced into the tournament, the number of rounds needed to reach a Challenge Cup final depends on the team, and the league they play in. For a Super League team to reach a final, they must have played four rounds. Five rounds must have been played for a team playing in the Co-operative Championship, and for an amateur or foreign club, the number varies depending on which round they entered the competition. Because both Warrington Wolves and Huddersfield Giants are Super League clubs, they both entered the competition in the fourth round, receiving byes in the third.

Warrington Wolves

Warrington's cup-run started with a home tie to Championship One part-timers the York City Knights. Their last meeting in the Challenge cup in 2000 resulted in a near-whitewashing 84–1 defeat. Lee Briers replaced Michael Monaghan at while Hicks took over kicking duties, with Martin Gleeson left out over speculation of a move to Wigan Warriors, which eventually came true. Warrington scored first thanks to a try from Simon Grix in the second minute, but York struck back immediately afterwards to take the lead with an effort from ; Danny Ratcliffe. Vinnie Anderson and Ben Harrison both scored tries which were converted before sloppy defence allowed Paul Hughes to score an opportunist York try midway through the first half. Warrington took a half time lead of 28–10 thanks to Ben Westwood and the first try of the season for Michael Cooper. Warrington kept a clean sheet in the second half, as they doubled their first half tally. Tries from Chris Bridge, Lee Briers, Vinnie Anderson, Louis Anderson and Paul Johnson took the game away from York, a cause not helped by the sending off of ; Danny Ekis after 64 minutes The game finished 52–10, with Garreth Carvell returning from injury to pick up the man of the match award.

Their fifth round match was a fixture away at the Featherstone Rovers' Chris Moyles Stadium in which they again scored 56 points. The game was fullback Richard Mathers' debut for the Wolves following his transfer from the Wigan Warriors in exchange for Martin Gleeson. Rovers scored first thanks to Tommy Saxton on the wing, and threatened to score another, although an interception from Hicks was returned for a 70-metre try. Monoghan then set up Mathers in support who scored the away team's second try. A deflected kick picked up by Westwood provided another Warrington try for Monaghan. Although a knock-on from Chris Riley gave the Featherstone Rovers good field position, they failed to score, and Warrington extended the lead to 8–20 at half time thanks to a try from Paul Wood. Warrington scored first after the break following some tidy passing between Monoghan and Jon Clarke, with Hicks eventually scoring the try, before the Featherstone Rovers scored their second and last try of the match through Tom Haughey. A further Warrington try from Hicks, as well as a try worked by ex-Wigan pair Mickey Higham and Mathers were followed by tries from Harrison, Riley and Bridge to end the game comprehensively in Warrington's favour, with ten tries in total being scored by the away side.{{cite news

On 30 May, Hull witnessed only the second ever Challenge Cup game to be decided by the golden point rule, as Hull Kingston Rovers proved a tougher outfit than both of Warrington's previous sub-Super League opponents. Hull Kingston Rovers started better, and seized the initiative after just three minutes, with Paul Cooke's long pass to Peter Fox proving an opportunity for Kris Welham. Despite multiple handling errors from Simon Grix, the home side failed to extend their lead. Two goal-line dropouts eventually lead to Vinnie Anderson crashing over the try-line on the 16th minute, in front of the post; Chris Bridge converted to level the scores 6–6, which it remained until half-time thanks to a last resort tackle from fullback Shaun Briscoe to deny Ben Harrison a try. Monaghan retreated from the match in the 31st minute, but Warrington took the lead at the start of the second half when Jon Clarke finished off a Matt King break on the wing. Hull Kingston Rovers replied with two tries of their own in five minutes, from Clint Newton, and later Ben Galea following a kick from Paul Cooke which deceived Richie Mathers. With the scores already 18–12, Rovers extended their lead further on the hour with a break that covered half the "New" Craven Park pitch from Jake Webster. Matt King plucked Lee Briers' kick into the corner for a Warrington try and Chris Bridge made the scores level with another try in the 70th minute. Bridge converted his own try to give Warrington a slender two-point lead before a penalty conceded for offside provided Michael Dobson with an opportunity to level the game again. A knock on from the resulting kick-off gave Lee Briers a chance to land a drop goal, but he sliced the ball, forcing the game into extra time. He missed two further chances, before kicking the ball between the uprights in front of the visiting Warrington fans in the 85th minute.

This victory set up a semi-final date with Wigan Warriors, the most successful team in the Challenge Cup's history, at the Stobart Stadium Halton in Widnes. Despite a third minute Ben Westwood try disallowed by video referee Phil Bentham for obstruction, Warrington again fell behind before replying strongly, with Phil Bailey returning from injury to give Wigan a 6–0 lead after seven minutes, before Pat Richards scored his 1000th Wigan career point with a penalty goal to extend the lead by a further two points. Bailey was soon withdrawn with an injury to his Achilles which ended his match day. Three tries came in quick succession as Warrington struck back, with Matt King bursting through four defenders, Louis Anderson taking advantage of a mistake from Amos Roberts, and Briers weaving through the defensive line to take the scores to 18–8 following three successful conversions from Chris Bridge. Although Andy Coley was held over the try-line, Wigan's attack on the Warrington line was otherwise dull, and further tries from Michael Cooper and Matt King put the game beyond the Warriors by half-time. Warrington scored first in the second half, with Matt King gathering the high ball from Lee Briers unopposed to complete his hat-trick. A spirited Wigan fightback followed thanks to Warrington handling errors in their own half, with Sam Tomkins gathering his own kick for a try in the 55th minute, Andy Coley scoring from a Paul Prescott offload, and Thomas Leuluai defeating Richie Mathers in a one-on-one tackle. Richards' perfect kicking game reduced the margin to just six points, before a Lee Briers drop goal from thirty metres out and a Chris Hicks try put the game once again beyond Wigan's reach.

Huddersfield Giants

Pre-match

The cup final curtain raiser, a match contesting the Year 7 boys Champion Schools was between Outwood Grange College of Wakefield and Castleford High School.

Classical soprano Hayley Westenra was the headline pre-match entertainment, performing the cup final anthem, "Abide with Me", and the British national anthem. Supporting Westenra were the Black Dyke Band and the ACM Gospel Choir.

Players from the 1975 final, played by Warrington and Widnes and including Mike Nicholas, 'Big' Jim Mills and Doug Laughton, were re-united before kick-off.

The coaches for both teams were from the same part of New South Wales and had even played together for the St. George Dragons in their 1993 NSWRL season grand final loss to the Brisbane Broncos.

The BBC broadcasting team included commentators Dave Woods and Jonathan Davies, presenters Clare Balding, Robbie Paul, Damian Johnson and Tanya Arnold and experts Justin Morgan and Brian Noble, the coaches of Hull Kingston Rovers and Wigan Warriors respectively.

Match

First half

Warrington kicked off and after the game's first set of six tackles, Brett Hodgson's clearing kick was charged down by Louis Anderson who re-gathered and was tackled close to Huddersfield's try-line. Moments later, in only the second minute of the game, Richie Mathers from close range barged over between the uprights and the video referee ruled that a Huddersfield hand had not prevented him from grounding the ball on the line.{{Cite news | access-date = 4 December 2010}} Chris Bridge's straightforward conversion put the Wolves ahead 6–nil. Just on the seven-minute mark, after repeat sets attacking Warrington's line, Huddersfield's Shaun Lunt appeared to have scored a similar try, forcing his way to the line beneath the uprights to put the ball down, although it was controversially{{Cite news | access-date = 4 December 2010}} denied by the video referee, who ruled a double movement.{{Cite news

Second half

After the break, the contest became quite an even arm wrestle and no points were scored until the sixtieth minute,{{Cite news | access-date = 4 December 2010}} when from about fifteen metres out from Huddersfield's line, Michael Monaghan ran from dummy half then passed from the tackle to Vinnie Anderson who hit a big gap and crashed over under the posts. The kick for Bridge was simple so the score was 24–10 in Warrington's favour. Four minutes later Huddersfield were penalised for a high tackle on Lee Briers by Scott Moore less than thirty metres from their line. Warrington decided to take the shot at goal and Bridge missed his first kick of the day so the score remained unchanged.{{Cite news

Details

Brett Hodgson David Hodgson Goals: Brett Hodgson (2) Michael Monaghan Chris Hicks Vinnie Anderson Goals: Chris Bridge (4) Drops: Lee Briers

• Twelve interchanges per team, from four players.
• In case of draw, match to be replayed at Reebok Stadium, Bolton on 8 September.
• Video referee present. |- |}

Man of the Match

References

References

1. (20 August 2009). "Hayley Westenra to headline pre-match entertainment". Super League.
2. (25 August 2009). "Ganson takes change of final". Sporting Life.
3. "Round Dates". therfl.co.uk.
4. "Challenge Cup Final - 1986". Rugby League Project.
5. (6 April 2009). "Gleeson leaves Wolves for Wigan". [[BBC News]].
6. (4 April 2009). "Warrington 56-10 York". [[BBC News]].
7. (4 April 2009). "Official Match Report". [[Rugby Football League]].
8. (10 May 2009). "Match Report". [[Rugby Football League]].
9. (30 May 2009). "Hull KR 24 - 24 Warrington". [[Rugby Football League]].
10. (30 May 2009). "Hull KR 24 - 25 Warrington". [[BBC Sport]].
11. Laybourn, Ian. (8 August 2009). "Wigan 26 - 39 Warrington". [[Press Association]].
12. Hudson, Elizabeth. (8 August 2009). "Wigan 26-39 Warrington". BBC News.
13. "Warrington claims Cup glory - League - Sportal Australia".