Challenge Cup: Wigan 44-18 Sheffield Eagles - Warriors avenge famous Wembley loss

2023 Man of Steel Bevan French's hat-trick proved too much for Sheffield to handle

Wigan Warriors ran in eight tries - six of them after the break - to ensure there would be no repeat of their famous Wembley 1998 Challenge Cup final loss to Sheffield Eagles.

After converted tries by Bevan French and Liam Marshall opened up a 10-0 lead, Sheffield stunned the hosts to level by half-time at the DW Stadium.

Tries by Matty Marsh and Matty Dawson-Jones gave the Eagles hope.

But Wigan then ran in six second-half tries to close the door.

French scored two more to complete his hat-trick, while Jake Wardle, Kruise Leeming and Patrick Mago were also on the scoresheet.

Thanks to two conversions from Cory Aston, son of Eagles coach Mark Aston - who starred in that 1998 final - Sheffield even held a slender two-point lead just before the break.

But Oliver Roberts was sin-binned for holding down in the tackle, Harry Smith converted and the Eagles were unable to cope with the numerical disadvantage.

Wardle crashed over a minute into the second half, French grabbed his second soon after when he collected a loose ball after a kick by Marshall and completed his treble in the 58th minute.

Evan Hodgson reduced the deficit with a third try, also kicked by Aston, but Wigan ran riot as Leeming, Mago and Marshall all crossed, while Smith kicked six goals.

Wigan half-back Harry Smith kicked five goals for a 10-point haul

Wigan: Hampshire; Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Thompson, O'Neill, Byrne, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis

Interchanges: Dupree, Mago, Hill, Leeming

Sheffield Eagles: Marsh; Millar, Welham, Glover, Dawson-Jones; Aston, Hansen; Battye, Halafihi, Dickinson, Murphy, Bower, Gwaze.

Interchanges: Hodgson, Peachey, Roberts, Farrell

Referee: James Vella.

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