Chris Oliver sets the scene for Saturday's Challenge Cup final at Wembley, recommending four bets as Wigan Warriors and Hull Kingston Rovers renew hostilities.
Rugby League betting tips: Challenge Cup final
3pts Wigan to win by 1-12 points at 15/8 (bet365)
1pt Jai Field to win the Lance Todd Trophy at 8/1 (bet365, Ladbrokes)
1pt Jack Broadbent to win the Lance Todd Trophy at 14/1 (Ladbrokes)
1pt Jai Field to score the first try at 12/1 (William Hill, 888Sport, SpreadEx)
The most famous game of rugby league in the world, the Challenge Cup Final has all the ingredients to be a classic encounter this year as Wigan face Hull Kingston Rovers at Wembley on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams have developed a serious rivalry in recent years and the stage is set for a thrilling encounter under the arch in North London this weekend.
Wigan beat Hull KR in the 2024 Grand Final before the latter gained revenge last year, while they each won the League Leaders’ Shield in fierce battles with each other prior to those victories at Old Trafford. Both have triumphed in the World Club Challenge in the last two years as well.
They are also the last two winners of this showpiece, with Wigan landing the famous trophy as part of a domestic treble in 2024 before Hull KR repeated that feat in 2025.
So, the two current major players in British rugby league are set to fight out another epic clash in this year’s Wembley decider and the bookies are struggling to split them. The defending champions are a top price of 4/5, with Wigan available at 6/5, and Hull KR are generally conceding just two points start on the handicap.
Both teams booked their place at Wembley in impressive fashion, with Wigan blowing local rivals St Helens away in eye-catching fashion with a 32-0 victory three weeks ago, while Hull KR easily overcame Warrington by 32-12 in a repeat of last year’s final.
Tight affair expected at Wembley
Each team was superb in defence in their semi-final and scoring points isn’t likely to be easy here, so going under the total points line of 30.5 at 4/5 with bet365 could be a profitable approach.
All eyes were on Craven Park last Thursday when we were meant to get some clues for this final as these two teams faced each other for the first time in 2026, but it didn’t quite work out that way. With Hull KR naming pretty much a full-strength team, Matt Peet opted to rest the bulk of his regulars and Wigan’s 17-man match day team featured 10 debutants.
As was expected when the teams were announced, Hull KR romped to a facile success as they put their rivals to the sword in a one-sided 62-4 victory.
However, it will be a different story this weekend as Wigan welcome back their familiar faces into the squad and those players will be fresh after a week off. Hull KR will be battled hardened, though, and only time will tell which coach took the correct approach to last Thursday’s game.
With temperatures forecast to be in the late-20s in London on Saturday afternoon, it will be a gruelling affair out on that big Wembley pitch and that could play into the hands of Wigan, whose rejuvenated squad may be better equipped to deal with the heat and physical toil after being rested last week.
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Some more Bevan French MAGIC 💫 pic.twitter.com/0y6wAOpJAS
As well as welcoming back all of their main players for this one, the big news was the surprise inclusion of their star player Bevan French in Thursday’s 21-man squad. The influential playmaker hasn’t featured since suffering a hamstring injury in early March and was thought to be a couple of weeks away from playing again, but his potential presence at Wembley could be a game changer.
Wigan are a different side when French is in the halves, linking up with fellow Australian superstar Jai Field at full-back to pose a potent attacking threat, and his return could be enough to tip the balance of this nail-biting affair in Wigan’s favour.
What are the best bets?
With the slight underdogs fancied to be that little bit fresher in the second half, they could regain this famous trophy and I fancy then to nick this one. I think it will be tight, though, and if Wigan are to do it, then it may be just by 1-12 points and that is what I fancy for the match result at 15/8.
Mikey Lewis helped himself to an 18-minute hat-trick when these two teams met nine days ago and he is going to be key to Hull KR’s fortunes again. The playmaker has been the star of his team’s recent rise to the top of the sport and he will be pulling the strings from half-back once again.
He may meet his match in the shape of French, though, and the battle of the two stand-offs could decide this one. Unsurprisingly, that pair head the market for the Lance Todd Trophy, which goes to the Man of the Match and it has been won by some of the biggest names in this sport over the years, including French in 2024.
There could be better value further down the list, namely with the aforementioned Field. 15 full-backs have won the prestigious award in total, second only to scrum-halves at 17, and the electric speed of Field should be well suited to the open spaces of the big Wembley pitch.
He can be backed at 8/1 and I fancy him to have a big game, especially if able to play off French again and I can easily see Field popping up with a try or two on this biggest of stages.
That brings him very much into the equation for the first try scorer as well, for which he is available at 12/1 and I will be siding with him to cross the whitewash first. He should get plenty of room to demonstrate his speed at this venue, especially as the game opens up after what is likely to be a very tight opening 20 minutes.
If Hull KR are to retain the trophy, then I believe Jack Broadbent has to have a big game and he could be worth a saver at 14/1 for him to win the Lance Todd Trophy. Broadbent is strong in defence at full-back and a potent attacking force too, so those qualities could see him star if the favourites are to come out on top.
One thing is for sure, this has the potential to be an all-time classic final between two excellent sides and it could be a dramatic one that goes right down to the wire. The Challenge Cup decider has so often showed this sport in its very best light and this mouthwatering contest seems sure to do just that again.
Posted at 07:00 BST on 29/05/26
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