Hull KR have defeated Warrington Wolves in a replay of the 2023 final to reach the Challenge Cup final.
Willie Peters’ Robins will now face Wigan Warriors at Wembley on Saturday, 30 May.
Peters Praises Team’s Patience
Hull KR coach Willie Peters said he was very happy with the win. He thought his team did a lot of work in the first half. Peters added that Warrington scrambled really well and would have gone into half-time with confidence, despite Hull KR being eight points in front.
He said they had to build again in the second half and he liked the patience that they showed. Peters also said he thought they dominated the first half and liked how they attacked the second half.
Peters spoke about Wigan’s performance before the game, saying that all big games are won on defence. He also commented on the relationship with the fans: “There’s a proper connection. What we do is for these people. There’s a lot of love, you can see it, you can feel it and the players thrive off it.”
Minchella Acknowledges Tough Challenge
Hull KR captain Elliot Minchella said it was tough, as Warrington are a quality side. He thought they started well, but Warrington challenged them towards the back end of the first half.
Minchella said they backed their defence and came away on the winning side, but it was a tough afternoon. He added that they got over the line and look forward to going back to Wembley again.
May Hails Team’s Performance
Hull KR’s Tyrone May, who was named player of the match, said he felt good. He said the Challenge Cup is a bit different to Super League as it’s do or die, and he thought they put in a good performance. May acknowledged they had a bit of a rough patch in the first half but was glad they came home and are on the way to Wembley again. He said last year was outstanding, but Wigan will be hard to stop.
Burgess Unhappy with Captain’s Challenge Calls
Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess spoke about the captain’s calls that impacted the game. He said he had better be careful with what he says, because they don’t like it when you tell the truth.
Burgess said he didn’t know if they were watching the same game in relation to the captain’s challenge. He also questioned who the third referee was, adding that some of the calls and the inconclusive stuff meant decisions were made wrong all the time. Burgess criticised how long the process took.
He noted that the game kicked off at 4 o’clock and it was now 10 past six, which is two hours and 10 minutes. Burgess said he was disappointed with the result and felt it was all a mess and needs tidying up.
Warrington Will Learn From Defeat
Burgess said that Warrington didn’t get into the game early on and didn’t build any momentum. He added that they will take plenty of lessons out of it and went away from things that had been working for them, which was disappointing. Burgess stated that he was proud of their efforts and they never stopped trying, just now with their brains.
Wigan will also be up against St Helens in the women’s final.