Challenge Cup: Leeds 14-18 Wigan – Warriors come from behind to knock out Rhinos

Leeds (14) 14Tries: Holroyd, Newman Goals: Martin 3Wigan (4) 18Tries: French 2, Nsemba, Wardle Goals: Smith

Challenge Cup holders Wigan came from 14-0 down as they stunned Leeds to reach the last eight.

Tries from Tom Holroyd and Harry Newman helped to earn Leeds their three-score first-half cushion at sunny Headingley.

But Bevan French tries either side of half-time and two more from Junior Nsemba and Jake Wardle proved enough, despite only landing one conversion.

Harry Smith was successful with only one of his four kicks, in contrast to Leeds kicker Rhyse Martin, who landed all three of his shots at goal, two conversions and a penalty in between.

Wigan full-back Bevan French crossed twice either side of the breakSun comes out for last-16 stage

For the real start of this competition, the last-16 stage, that brought in the Super League sides – and with them came the sunshine.

After such a rain-lashed start to 2023, the sun appropriately shone in Headingley for the meeting of the two most successful Challenge Cup sides in the competition’s 127-year history – 14-times winners Leeds hosting holders Wigan, whose triumph at Tottenham 12 months ago was a record 20th crown.

But Leeds had the obvious psychological pre-match edge in the wake of their stunning comeback win with 12 men to beat Wigan on their own soil just eight days earlier.

That soon showed when they took less than 10 minutes to mark their early pressure by coming up with the opening score.

Holroyd crossed the whitewash, Martin added the conversion, tagged on two more points from a penalty and then again landed the kick when Rhinos centre Newman carved his way through Wigan’s weak defence down the left for try number two.

Harry Newman received congratulations from Richie Myler after his first-half try

Having trailed 14-0, Wigan at least narrowed the gap before the break when French dotted down wide on the left, but Smith could not add the extras.

When Liam Farrell then made one of his classic breaks down the left like a runaway train straight after the break, French was in support to go in under the posts – and Smith kicked the goal to bring it back to 14-10.

They were then back on level terms when teenage academy forward Nsemba crashed over for a third Wigan try.

Smith missed the kick, but Wigan did finally get in front for the first time with their fourth try from Wardle.

Smith this time hit the post with his kick – but it was not to prove too costly. Leeds did have one great late chance to get back in front but Newman went for glory rather than look to pass inside to the man in support, Richie Myler – and the chance was lost.

Victory did come at a cost for Wigan though as prop Ethan Havard suffered a dislocated elbow in the first half – and he will now join Willie Isa and Kai Pearce-Paul on the sidelines.

Leeds head coach Rohan Smith:

“It’s easy to sit in the grandstand and say ‘could have, would have, should have’, but it’s all happening so fast and Bevan French is an expert at interrupting those situations.

“You’ve got to back the instincts of the players in the end and one in the first half worked out well (for Harry Newman). It never comes down to one player.

“Heaps of other players in the game could have done better. You’ve got to be willing to put yourselves out there and try to win the big games, and you’ve got to suffer the disappointments sometimes.”

Wigan coach Matt Peet:

“It worked out great for Junior. I’m so pleased for him. I made a mistake a few weeks ago when I had him on the bench and didn’t get him on early enough, and since then I decided to give him an opportunity to showcase what he’s capable of.

“As soon as he came into the game he stood out and he set the tone for the other lads. He’s a great lesson for the other young players because some weeks he doesn’t get a game but he was ready and I look forward to playing him again.

“I’m just proud of this team. It’s been a long week and at the start of the game I didn’t think we were good enough, but in the end our desire and the lads’ commitment to one another shone through.”

Leeds: Myler; Tindall, Newman, Macdonald, Olpherts; Gannon, Sezer, Oledzki, O’Connor, Holroyd, McDonnell, Martin, C Smith.

Interchanges: Donaldson, Lisone, Sangare, Johnson.

Wigan: French; Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall; Hampshire, Smith; Havard, Powell, Byrne, Smithies, Farrell, Shorrocks.

Interchanges: Ellis, Mago, O’Neill, Nsemba.

Referee: Chris Kendall.