St Helens vs Wigan Warriors rivalry enters new era in women’s Challenge Cup final | Rugby League News

St Helens vs Wigan Warriors is an age-old derby that brings with it fierce rivalry and a whole host of history. It will enter a new era when St Helens women face Wigan women in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

When it comes to the men’s outfits, they have rafts of trophies between them having faced each other on 362 occasions and in 20 major finals dating back to 1954.

Saints have picked up 11 of those major trophies, Wigan nine, with their last meeting in a Challenge Cup final coming back in 2004, over 20 years ago, with St Helens winning 32-16.

Saints and Wigan’s rivalry in rugby league’s famous knockout competition enters a new stage on Saturday with their women’s sides looking to make even more history but in very different ways.

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St Helens are looking to life the trophy for the fifth time in a row, Wigan for just the first time ever.

It is an intriguing clash too, Wigan the dominant force in the women’s Super League so far sitting top of the table. Their old foes sit one place behind them and these two sides have not met in 2025. Truly, anything can happen.

St Helens and England skipper Jodie Cunningham insists that her side are incredibly motivated to clinch that five in a row in the Challenge Cup and that it would make it even sweeter that they would get to enjoy such an historic moment with a victory against Wigan.

“I think people think it doesn’t mean as much or you’re not as motivated because you’ve done it before.” Cunningham said.

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“Whereas I think it’s the polar opposite. I think we’re so desperate to keep hold of it because we know how much everybody wants to take that trophy off us, especially this Wigan side who are just so young, so enthusiastic.

“For us we just want to make sure that we put our best foot forward and hopefully maintain the trophy that’s been ours for many years now.

“We’ve got quite an older squad as well and I think it’s all about for me making memories, making sure that we take absolutely every inch out of what we can and that means just giving absolutely everything at the weekend.

“It’s really nice that the rivalry translates across just because look, fans are fans and as long as you’ve got that badge on the chest they’re not bothered they support all of their teams.

“So they translate that sort of rivalry and history across to us and we love that and all the girls are fans of the men’s game as well so they feel that rivalry just as a fan just as much as they do as a player wearing the shirt.

“It is brilliant and I think hopefully that means that we’ll get more people tuning in wanting to watch and more people going down to Wembley to support us because it’ll be a fantastic game but I’m sure it’ll be really tense and really physical battle as well and hopefully one that everyone can enjoy.”

Molyneux: If we win, the emotions will erupt

Another stalwart of the game, Wigan Warriors’ Vicky Molyneux, has been there and done it in a vast and ground-breaking career.

However, bringing home the first piece of silverware for her team is yet something she has added to her list.

At 37 years of age, she knows that being at a club like Wigan means winning trophies but she is not letting herself dream too much of what would be an incredibly emotional moment just yet.

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“It is going to be a tough challenge to stay relaxed with such a spectacle but we cannot wait,” Molyneux said.

“In terms of the rivalry, it is historic in the men’s game and feeds down into the women’s game as well.

“In the terms of this Challenge Cup- they are the holders and are going for five, we are the contenders trying to take it off them.

“The girls are fired up and we are ready for it. When you pull on a Wigan shirt it comes with the pressure of winning trophies, that is the nature of the club.

“We have not been too far away the past couple of seasons, we bridged the gap last year, and this season we have really kicked on.

“I can’t quite find the words- from the journey that I have been on- I made my debut in open age rugby when I was 16 and I am 37 now.

“In those 20 years I never ever dreamed something like this was possible and I feel really proud of the journey.

“Every time I think about it I cry. I was walking the dog and thinking about it and welling up.

“I just don’t think I can describe that feeling because I have never experienced it. All I have wanted for the last few years is to get to a final. To win it? I know it is going to erupt.”

What’s next?

The Super League season takes a week off for the Betfred Challenge Cup finals, with Warrington Wolves facing Hull KR at Wembley Stadium on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Prior to that, St Helens women take on Wigan Warriors women from 11.45 at Wembley Stadium in the women’s Challenge Cup final.

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

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