WARRINGTON Wolves suffered heartbreak at Wembley for the second successive year as Mikey Lewis’ late conversion won the game for Hull KR.
Unlike last year, Warrington pushed the game all the way and despite being unfancied, led for a long time in the game thanks to Josh Thewlis’ first half try.
But with barely two minutes late, Tyrone May’s kick bobbled around in-goal and Tom Davies touched the loose ball down within inches of it going dead, and Lewis stepped up to add the decisive two points from wide out to win it 8-6 for Willie Peters’ side.
George Williams made his return to the Warrington team, well ahead of schedule following from injury, and he was part of a lively opening from the Wolves before the arrival of teeming rain changed the nature of the game.
Warrington enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and had a try shout referred to the video referee when the ball came loose from a Jack Broadbent carry and was touched down by Adam Holroyd in-goal, but replays showed Rodrick Tai had stripped the ball illegally and instead a penalty was awarded to the Robins.
Hull KR struggled to get field position in the opening quarter but they did end the stalemate on 24 minutes through a Mikey Lewis penalty, after Ben Currie had tackled him high.
It turned in to a war of attrition in the first half and it looked like 2-0 might be the half time score until a spiralling Marc Sneyd kick was spilled by Joe Burgess five metres from his own line to gift Warrington a full set of six and they made it pay.
There was fortune to it, Sneyd’s low kick attempt came off the foot off Jez Litten and spun out to the right hand side and in to the hands of Josh Thewlis to catch and dive in at the corner, with Sneyd adding the touchline conversion to make it 6-2 at the break.
Hull KR came out with renewed vigour in the second half but they couldn’t find a way through, and soon Sneyd started managing the game perfectly with his kicking game on his way to winning the Lance Todd Trophy for a third time.
There was a blip when after Sneyd forced a drop out, Arron Lindop let Hull KR out of jail when Lewis’ drop out bounced in to touch.
Hull KR came close when Jez Litten’s kick came back off a post and was put dead by Sam Powell, but largely the game was at the other end of the field, with Sneyd forcing multiple drop outs and then a Williams chip kick looking for Matt Dufty was diffused by Jack Broadbent.
Warrington were still holding on to their four point lead and Hull KR snatched it at the death through Davies to leave the Warrington fans heartbroken in the wet.
🤔 Is that the try that ends the Robins heartbreak?
🏆 #ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/TQX1Bpn5Jk
— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) June 7, 2025
Warrington: Dufty, Thewlis, King, Tai, Lindop, Williams, Sneyd, Yates, Powell, Vaughan, Holroyd, Fitzgibbon, Currie. Subs: Harrison, Philbin, Crowther, Ratchford.
Hull KR: Broadbent, Davies, Hiku, Batchelor, Burgess, Lewis, May, Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Whitbread, Minchella. Subs: Litten, Luckley, Tanginoa, Brown.
Try scorer Josh Thewliss – Picture @warringtonRLFC
JT with the opener! pic.twitter.com/O79HSFLXz3
— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) June 7, 2025
🫡 Thewlis for the corner!
🏉 Marc Sneyd's kick bounces fortunately for @WarringtonRLFC!
🏆 #ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/Z92lWpnwMr
— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) June 7, 2025
🐺 Still @WarringtonRLFC lead 6-2 inside the final 10 minutes…
🏆 #ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/kpyl7b0nbZ
— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) June 7, 2025
