Challenge Cup: Wigan Warriors 70-0 London Broncos

Media caption,

Wigan score 12 tries in record 70-0 win

Wigan booked their place in the 2013 Challenge Cup final with a record semi-final victory against London Broncos.

Shaun Wane's side, winners in 2011, scored 12 tries without conceding a point to book a date with Warrington or Hull FC at Wembley next month.

Pat Richards's two tries and 11 goals guided the Warriors to a 30th final.

The 70-0 win is the biggest in Challenge Cup semi-final history, breaking Wigan's own mark of 71-10 over Bradford back in 1992.

London became the first side since Hull KR's defeat by St Helens in 2006 to end a semi-final scoreless.

Despite their poor league form, which had seen them fail to record a Super League victory since beating St Helens in April, London pinned their hopes on their prior displays in the Challenge Cup, and the presence of Jamie Soward - but neither proved any boost on a afternoon to forget at Leigh Sports Village.

Three defeats in five were uncharacteristic preparation for Wigan, but they returned to their best in a dominant performance coming after a derby loss to St Helens on Monday.

Coach Wane had recalled his disappointment at losing in last season's last four in the build-up to this fixture, but there looked little doubt his side would fail in their quest this time around.

Errors handed them repeat sets which London initially weathered, but once Wigan found their stride they took full control of the tie.

Slack defence at the play-the-ball gifted Darrell Goulding a route to the line which he snapped up, and after Sean O'Loughlin and Blake Green combined, Lee Mossop had the power to dart over for a second Wigan try.

London were stunned, and were further punished for indiscipline and a tiring defensive effort in humid conditions with four further tries before the hooter.

Sam Tomkins jinked through before Blake Green pounced on a grubber by Matty Smith, and Pat Richards finished off a flowing move out on the left as London failed to scramble to cover.

Josh Charnley's try was the pick of the first-half scores, as Ben Flower and then O'Loughlin ripped through the London cover and the latter's booming pass to the England winger on the right was finished well.

The one-sided nature of the first period continued after the hooter when Scott Taylor burst two tackles, although there was a hint of misfortune for the Broncos about the penalty for a high tackle on Sam Tomkins earlier in the set.

Footballing skills from Smith almost brought a spectacular score, but the half-back showed another side to his talent when he stepped the cover to scoot in on the right for try eight.

With their place in the final all but secured, Wigan played some expansive football that was rewarded when O'Loughlin flicked a ball onto the overlapping Richards and push the scoreboard past 50.

Farrell's graft in the second row was complented by his support play and brought a try when he ran onto an inside ball to score, and Iain Thornley's touchdown was further insult to injury for a broken Broncos.

Charnley's second from Goulding's sleight-of-hand pass was the 12th try of the game and the 100th of his career - not to mention an impressive seal to a dominant Wigan display.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Wigan head coach Shaun Wane told BBC Sport:

"It's fantastic, we lost last year at Leeds and played poorly but today we played really well, London were busted today with injuries but were were outstanding.

"Last year took me weeks to get over, but I'm so proud of the effort, we had a short turn around this week and the effort has been fantastic."

Wigan captain Sean O'Loughlin told BBC Sport:

"We got off to a really good start, settled into the game well we got some points on board and it was always going to be a struggle to come back from that.

"With the half-time scoreline we could have found it difficult to stay professional, with a Challenge Cup final at stake it kept everyone mentally switched on.

"We've been involved in a couple of these semis and we've not got there which is disappointing to take and we're now one step close to lifting the Challenge Cup."

London Broncos head coach Tony Rea told BBC Sport:

"We're obviously really shattered, we came here to do what we wanted to do today with really high hopes of what were were going to get out of the game.

"We had a ridiculous penalty count, we couldn't get the ball and there was a point in the first half where one team was going to crack and I thought it could be us that made them crack but we lost our discipline, the marker play, and defence.

"Fair play to Wigan they were bigger, fitter and more powerful. They steamrollered us. You've got to be tough in big games and we weren't tough enough today."

SATURDAY'S LINE-UPS

London Broncos: Dorn; Colborn, Lloyd, Sarginson, Robertson; O'Callaghan, Soward; Cook, Lee, Bryant, Rodney, Kaufusi, Fairbank

Substitutes: Krasniqi, Wheeldon, Fisher, McMeeken

Wigan: S. Tomkins; Charnley, Goulding, Thornley, Richards; Green, Smith; Mossop, McIlorum, Dudson, Hansen, Farrell, O'Loughlin

Substitutes: Tuson, Flower, Taylor, L. Tomkins

Attendance: 6,274

Referee: Phil Bentham (Warrington)

Around the BBC

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.