Wigan win maiden women's Challenge Cup with 42-6 domination of Saints

Wigan Warriors women claimed a maiden Challenge Cup triumph with a dominant 42-6 victory over St Helens at Wembley Stadium.

Saints had been there and done it on this big stage but the Warriors have been the dominant force in the Women’s Super League this season and it showed.

The first half was all Wigan and they made it count, converted tries from Megan Williams, Mary Coleman and Emily Veivers giving them a strong 18-0 lead at the break.

They then continued the second 40 as they had the first, converted tries from Isabel Rowe, Eva Hunter, Grace Banks and Anna Davies giving them their 42 points, Rowe converting every single try.

St Helens got on the scoreboard through a converted Katie Mottershead effort but it was only a consolation as they were outdone in every area.

The win marks an end to St Helens’ dominant run in their Challenge Cup which saw them win four in a row from 2021-2024, with three of those coming at Wembley.

Warriors show style, flair, and steel to trounce Saints

On the vast pitch that is Wembley, it was Wigan that managed to take hold of the territory early on, pinning St Helens in their own half and making good metres.

That pressure paid dividends on the 10th minute as a flat pass sent Williams bursting through and in under the sticks, Isabel Rowe converting for an early 6-0 lead.

St Helens tried to battle their way back into the contest but just 10 minutes later Wigan extended their advantage, Molly Jones breaking through the line, holding her nerve, and sending a nice pass for Coleman to walk over, Rowe once again obliging with the conversion for a 12-0 lead.

Wigan continued to get on the front foot and once again they capitalised, this time through Veivers who backed herself to barnstorm through the St Helens line and go over, Rowe adding two more once again.

The Warriors picked up in the second half where they had left the first and after just four minutes Isabel Rowe got in on the try-scoring action as she sent the dummy and walked in before converting her own effort to put Wigan 24-0 up.

St Helens managed to hit back through a converted short-range effort from Katie Mottershead with just over 30 minutes left to play but it was not long until Wigan were over for another converted effort, Hunter slipping through a gap to go over and give Wigan a 30-6 lead with 20 minutes on the clock.

Wigan then rubbed salt in the wound as Banks jumped on a knock-on and raced 50 metres downfield to go over, Davies diving in at the corner just a few minutes later too as the score ticked up to 42-6 with Rowe sending over a touchline conversion.

That cemented their domination and brought home their first Women’s Challenge Cup, putting the Warriors firmly as the top Women’s Super League club so far in 2025.

Molyneux: We deserve this moment | Banks: Little Grace would be so proud

Wigan Warriors’ co-captain Vicky Molyneux speaking to BBC:

“I can [believe it], we deserve this so much. Last year we closed the gap, the work in pre-season. We thought about our ‘whys’ today, why we wanted this, we’ve done it for our families. We deserve everything out there, we were unbelievable. This just means the world. I’m so happy.”

Player of the Match Grace Banks speaking to BBC:

“I don’t know how to feel. I was expecting it at all. I ‘m absolutely over the moon. This is a big shock.

I didn’t think, when I first started [playing rugby league] with the lads, I’d end up playing at Wembley! But little Grace would definitely be proud.”

What’s next?

Week 14 of the Super League season begins on Friday June 13, with Hull KR hosting Catalans Dragons on Sky Sports Action (8pm) and Hull FC facing Castleford Tigers on Sky Sports+ (8pm).

Sky Sports will again show every game of Super League live this season – including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining four matches each week shown on Sky Sports+ via the red button