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Hull KR’s Challenge Cup win, in early June, was their first silverware in 40 years. Quite an amazing story.
Here’s a piece looking back to the 2015 Grand Final, by Gavin Willacy, with Josh Walters – who scored the key try for Leeds on that occasion:
Ten years ago this week Josh Walters took a simple pass and plunged over the tryline at Old Trafford to score the final try in the Super League Grand Final as Leeds secured their seventh title. There were 73,512 fans inside the stadium and a couple of million more watching at home. He humbly plays down his role in the treble-clinching triumph. “I never say it was the winning try because Kev [Sinfield] still had to kick the two points – my try brought us level and there was still 15 minutes left.”
Aaron Bower
It is not just the walls of Wigan Warriors’ plush Robin Park training complex that are draped with the historic moments of rugby league’s most famous club. Almost everywhere you turn in the town, there is a nod to the great players and triumphs Wigan recalls with immense pride.
The modern era has not exactly been short on supply when it comes to similar memorable moments but in terms of teams and players that will stand the test of time, it is not unreasonable to suggest this current incarnation of Wigan Warriors is on the verge of entering the pantheon of the club’s all-time greats.
How do the bookies see it?
Hull KR 7/5
Wigan 4/7
Draw 18/1
(Odds from Boyle Sports)
Hull KR finished top of the pile in the regular season, with 22 wins out of 27 games. They had a points difference of +494.
Wigan, with 21 wins, were 461pts in credit.
Teams
Hull KR: Mourgue, Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess, Lewis, May, Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella. Replacements: Litten, Luckley, Whitbread, Martin.
Wigan Warriors: Field, Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Byrne, O’Neill, Thompson, Walters, Farrell, Ellis. Replacements: Havard, Nsemba, Mago, Leeming.
Referee: Liam Moore
Aaron Bower
Neil Hudgell has witnessed highs this summer that he and a generation of Hull KR supporters perhaps thought they would never get to experience, but even in these most euphoric of times the low moments are never far from the forefront of his mind.
There have been plenty of those during his 20 years as owner of his boyhood club. Flirtations with administration, relegation from Super League in the most dramatic circumstances in 2016 courtesy of an extra-time defeat by Salford and a 50-0 loss to Leeds in the 2015 Challenge Cup final that Hudgell ranks as his lowest ebb.
We’ve got time to enjoy some pre-match reading before kick-off, which is coming up … don’t forget you can email me with your thoughts, hopes, expectations and even fears.
Preamble
Wigan Warriors stand on the verge of greatness. Victory at Old Trafford today would secure three consecutive Super League titles, placing them in the same bracket as their most legendary predecessors at league’s winningest club. “We’re 80 minutes away from that,” said the captain Liam Farrell, “and I believe we can go down as one of Wigan’s great teams.”
The only problem? Their opponents, Hull KR, are buoyant after winning two trophies already this season and will not feel like underdogs, even against a side that have claimed the title two seasons running.
Hull KR will be all the more motivated after last season’s Grand Final defeat by same opponents, when they lost 9-2. That sounds more like a terrible poker hand than a rugby score, but shows we are very likely to witness a tense, ultra-competitive tussle over the next few hours. Let’s get it on!
Kick-off: 6pm BST
