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The winds of change which swept through Super League last year as Hull KR became the new dominant force in the game have, at stages already in 2026, threatened to become more akin to a hurricane – and no afternoon felt more seismic in defining that mood than this.
Super League has been in desperate need of a new challenger for some time, which made Hull KR’s domestic treble last year all the more interesting. But this year, a new force has threatened to rise alongside the likes of the Robins, St Helens, Leeds and Wigan: that of Wakefield Trinity.
One of rugby league’s grand old clubs historically, Wakefield have been nothing more than also-rans for much of the last 50 years, having not won a major trophy since the 1960s. But after widespread investment, a renovated Belle Vue and a squad that is joint-top after the opening quarter of the season, they have all the hallmarks of a team ready to compete at the top again.
That made this quarter-final against the kings of the Challenge Cup in Wigan all the more intriguing. The Warriors made the trip across the Pennines have suffered the rarity of back-to-back losses too; whisper it quietly, but Wakefield were, for the first time in a long time, favourites in a game of this magnitude.
But some things never change: not least in rugby league’s most prestigious competition of them all. It could have been so different had one or two crucial moments gone the other way but in the end, despite all the talk of new challengers, it was Wigan – as they have often done when it matters most – who found a way to win.
Match details
ShowMatch details
Wakefield Jowitt; Pratt, Scott, Hall, Johnstone; Trueman, Lino; McMeeken, Smoothy, Rodwell, Vagana, Nikotemo, Pitts. Interchange Smith, Hamlin-Uele, Tevaga, Lolesio.
Tries Trueman, Rodwell, Johnstone, Scott. Goals Jowitt 3.
Wigan Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Farrell, Marshall; Farrimond, Smith; Thompson, O’Neill, Eseh, Nsemba, Walters, Ellis. Interchange Mago, Partington, McDermott, Hodkinson.
Tries Mago, Marshall, Smith, Eckersley 2. Goals Keighran 3.
Referee Liam Moore.
“I imagine that was a great game for the neutrals because even though we got the win, it looked like we could have lost it right until the end,” Matt Peet surmised after watching his side set up a mouthwatering semi-final against their great rivals, St Helens, next month – with the reigning holders Hull KR facing Warrington Wolves in the other tie.
Trinity certainly played their part. Five wins from their opening seven Super League games and victorious against Leeds in the last round of the cup, they would have fancied another statement win after moving into an early 12-0 lead thanks to tries from Jake Trueman and Ky Rodwell. Wakefield’s brand of rugby, epitomised by those two early scores, is a joy to watch.
Wigan’s response was fantastic, though. The outstanding Patrick Mago halved the deficit before Liam Marshall’s excellent finish brought it level before an acrobatic effort from England international Tom Johnstone put the hosts back in front. But then, a gamechanging moment seven minutes before the break.
Quarter-final roundup: Currie double sinks Leigh for Wolves
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Warrington's head coach, Sam Burgess, hailed two-try Ben Currie after his side scored 18 unanswered points to beat Leigh 24-10 on Saturday. Currie, 31, celebrated his new two-year contract with touchdowns in the 71st and 77th minutes (pictured) to seal Warrington’s comeback, having trailed 10-6 after the interval.
“I wonder if he has incentives in his contract; the more tries he scores the more money he gets,” said Burgess. “Seriously, Ben is a wonderful player. He is a very natural rugby player. He understands the game. He has the knack of being in the right place at the right time.
“He has scored more than 100 tries which is unbelievable for a forward. He is very clever how he finds himself in good positions. We are grateful he is staying for another couple of years. If you ask him, he will probably tell you he is enjoying his rugby more than he has done previously.”
Burgess said Josh Thewlis being sent to the sin-bin at 6-6 was an unlikely turning point. “You are not allowed to tell the truth,” he said of the decision. “You have to say what they want you to say, otherwise you land yourself in trouble. But it didn’t really hurt us. And when we went down to 12, we looked like ourselves. Maybe I’m grateful for the yellow card.”
Tyrone May’s hat-trick and an astonishing solo try from Mikey Lewis helped Hull KR, the defending champions, swat aside York 48-10 at Craven Park. York produced a seismic shock in the opening round of the Super League season by edging out Rovers in February but last season’s domestic treble and World Club Challenge winners gained revenge on Saturday. May touched down three times but Lewis produced the highlight-reel moment by latching on to his own kick and grounding just before his momentum took him out of bounds.
Paul Rowley said he believed there was more to come from his St Helens side after they overcame Catalan Dragons on Friday. Tristan Sailor scored 14 points and George Whitby added 10 as Saints followed up the previous Friday’s Super League comeback win against Wigan.
Rowley said: “We are in the draw for the semi-final, it gets exciting now, doesn’t it? Performance-wise, where we are in the league table, a semi-final as well, we’re in the mix of everything. We’re cruising all right without being at our absolute best, but we’ve done it with probably half a team missing.” PA Media
Photograph: Richard Walker/Shutterstock Editorial
Wakefield forward Jazz Tevaga, one of their headline off-season recruits, lashed out in a tackle, kicking Marshall and earning himself ten minutes in the sin-bin. It could have arguably been worse, with some suggestions a red card may have been the appropriate outcome. But in the context of what happened next, the punishment was damaging enough.
What looked as though it would be a 16-12 half-time lead for Wakefield instead saw them go in two points behind after Harry Smith’s effort on the hooter. Shortly after the restart they went further ahead through Zach Eckersley’s first of the afternoon. By the time Tevaga returned, Wakefield trailed 22-16 and the damage had been done.
“I’m not going to blame Jazz for the loss, I think that’s important,” the Wakefield coach, Daryl Powell, reflected. “He’d be disappointed with that, and I know he is because I’ve spoken to him.” Tevaga’s return to restore parity did allow Wakefield to settle somewhat, and when they scored a wonderful try through Cam Scott to make it 22-22, the contest came alive again.
What followed was a hugely tense final quarter. The kind Wigan, with their wealth of experience in games like these, have mastered and navigated their way through time and time again. That came to the fore when Eckersley scored his second and the Warriors held their nerve late on as Trinity threw everything at them one last time.
Wakefield’s time will come, of that there is no doubt. But right now, the big guns are still holding their own in the moments that mean the most.
