Warrington Wolves Star George Williams Reflects on Challenge Cup Final Defeat to Former Club Wigan Warriors
Warrington Wolves star George Williams has paid tribute to his former club Wigan Warriors following their Challenge Cup triumph, admitting that the Warriors’ kicking game proved too much for the Wolves.
Trailing 2-0 early on, Wigan hit back with 18 unanswered points through tries from Zach Eckersley, Bevan French, and Liam Farrell at Wembley. Warrington struggled to find their rhythm throughout the match, with their only response coming through a late consolation try from full-back Matt Dufty.
Williams, who followed Wigan’s Mike Cooper into the sin-bin during a frantic opening five minutes, acknowledged that Warrington had failed to execute their game plan. “We didn’t play how we planned, I’ll have to watch it back, but it felt like one of our worst of the year,” he told LoveRugbyLeague.
The half-back credited Wigan’s superior kicking game as a key factor in the outcome, saying:
“We started well, but we then made too many errors and they kicked better than us into corners. There’s simple things you’ve got to do in big games and we missed the jump, so it’s disappointing.”
Despite the disappointment, Williams agreed with Warrington head coach Sam Burgess that the experience would prove valuable moving forward. “It’s really disappointing. The final is a great occasion, some of the boys have never been here before, so it’s good for them to get the experience,” he said.
“We’ll review the game and it’ll hurt like it is now, but I think we’ve got to use it as a lesson. If we want to be a good team and a top team, then we’ve got to learn and get better, so that’s what we’ll try to do.”
Wigan’s victory extended their record in the Challenge Cup to 21 lifts, cementing their status as the competition’s most successful club. For Warrington, the wait for silverware continues, with their last trophy coming in their previous visit to Wembley in 2019.
🔗 Source
