Leeds Rhinos Wembley dream shattered as Wigan Warriors cruise to big Challenge Cup semi-final win

The result wasn’t a surprise, but the margin - which actually could have been much worse - was. Wigan scored nine tries and Leeds were 38-0 behind before scoring three tries in the final quarter.

Under coach Denis Betts, Wigan are a team on the up while it is a rebuilding phase for Leeds after the loss of a host of influential players over the past 12 months. They also have some injuries in the first-choice 17, but the gulf between the sides was a stark illustration of how much work Rhinos have ahead of them.

It is only the second time Leeds have failed to reach the Challenge Cup final, having won the competition in 2018 and 2019. Wigan were their victims in the past two semi-finals, but the tables have turned and, while the second half wasn’t as bad, Rhinos were embarrassed in the opening 40 - after which they trailed 30-0.

They were never in the game, but contributed to their own downfall with some basic errors and, at times, defence near their own line was very poor. The tone was set when Leeds’ captain Mel Howard failed to find touch with a penalty deep inside Rhinos’ half and Wigan’s right-winger Anna Davies powered in for the opening try in the resulting set, after just five minutes. She bagged another soon afterwards, in a set from a penalty and Leeds were already facing an uphill struggle.

Georgia Wilson scampered through some half-hearted defence on 22 minutes and Grace Banks did likewise, after Howard’s clearing kick had been charged down, just before the half-hour. Five minutes before the interval, in another penalty set, Wigan’s Megan Williams powered over between the posts for a touchdown confirmed by video referee Liam Rush. There was still time for things to get even worse for Leeds as Emily Veivers crossed between the posts on the final play of the half. With Jenna Forbister having converted three of the tries - and hit a post twice - Rhinos trailed 30-0.

Rhinos lost half-back Ruby Walker early in the second half which added injury to insult. They showed more resolve - and some skill - after the interval, but still conceded two more tries in the third quarter - to Molly Jones and Banks before breaking their duck.

Leeds hadn’t had even the sniff of a chance in the opening hour, but Wigan knocked on from the restart after Banks’ touchdown and in the resulting set, Jenna Greening dummied and stepped inside to score a nice touchdown from Keara Bennett’s pass.

Wigan were offside from the restart and, remarkably, Leeds went back-to-back. That was also a well-worked score, by Tally Bryer - a half-back playing on the right-wing - who went over from Greening’s pass. Izzy Rowe scored Wigan’s final try, but Leeds grabbed another consolation after the hooter through Howard, which Keara Bennett converted.

Leeds Rhinos Women: Stead, Bryer, Greening, Boyd, Whitehead, Howard, Walker, Sykes, Bennett, Northrop, Lacey, Murray, Dainton.Subs Bruce, Donnelly, Glynn, Short.

Wigan Warriors Women: Banks, Davies, Wilson, Jones, Derbyshire, Fourbister, Rowe, Coleman, Wilton, Speakman, Hunter, Power, Williams. Subs Marsh, Thompson, Casey, Veivers.

Referee: Tara Jones (St Helens)