Challenge Cup Final 2025 – Preview, predictions and tips
Warrington Wolves vs Hull KR – 7th June – Wembley Stadium
The Challenge Cup reaches its climax this weekend, with more than 60,000 fans expected at Wembley.
Warrington are aiming for their 10th cup success, and first since 2019, while for Hull KR, they’re chasing their second cup victory, and their first since 1980.
Form guide
Warrington Wolves
The Wire have been having a far more challenging campaign, and currently sit 8th in Super League with a 6-7 record. Only the bottom three sides have a worse defence this year, with Warrington conceding just under 24 points per game on average.
They’re in the bottom half of the league for attack as well. They’re averaging just under 19 points per game this year, which is the seventh-best in Super League.
Hull KR
The Robins have been virtually unstoppable this year, with just one defeat in all competitions – a 12-28 home loss to Wigan in Round 7 of Super League. Unsurprisingly, they sit top of the table, and they’ve got the best defence in Super League, conceding under nine points per game on average.
They have the second-best attack too, scoring just under 30 points per game on average.
Head to head
These two met in Super League just a couple of weeks ago, and it was Hull KR who came out convincing winners in a 12-31 win at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
They’re not scheduled to face each other again until the final round of the regular season, on 19th September.
Route to the final
Warrington Wolves
| Round | Opponent | Score |
| Third | Whitehaven | 44-4 |
| Fourth | Widnes Vikings | 26-16 |
| Quarter-Final | St. Helens | 20-12 |
| Semi-Final | Leigh Leopards | 21-14 |
Hull KR
| Round | Opponent | Score |
| Third | York Knights | 44-2 |
| Fourth | Oldham RLFC | 40-0 |
| Quarter-Final | Hull FC | 32-16 |
| Semi-Final | Catalans Dragons | 36-12 |
Players to watch
George Williams has been rushed back from injury for Warrington Wolves this weekend after nearly two months out, and the Wire will need a big performance from him if they’re to cause an upset. The 30-year-old has won two Super Leagues and a World Club Challenge during his time at Wigan, but in what will be his thrud Challenge Cup Final this weekend, he’s looking for his first winner’s medal.
Partnering Williams in the halves, will almost certainly be Marc Sneyd. When it comes to big-game players, Sneyd’s up there with anyone in Super League having picked up back-to-back Lance Todd trophies for Man of the Match in the 2016 and 2017 Challenge Cup Finals. Like Williams though, he’s also been brought back ahead of schedule, having played just once since the semi-final last month – another game he was rushed back for.
Big things will be expected of Hull KR’s stand-off Mikey Lewis this weekend. This will be his third major final and he’ll be looking to put his stamp on it and collect his first trophy. He’s been one of the stars of Super League this year and he’s the reigning Man of Steel. He’s second in the Super League try scoring charts with 12, joint-third for try assists with 13, and he’s kicked two drop goals and two 40-20s this year as well.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves returns from suspension just in time for Hull KR this week. The Kiwi enforcer has seen it all in his career, and played more than 300 games for Sydney Roosters. He’ll be calling it a day at the end of 2025, and a Challenge Cup victory at Wembley would go nicely with his three NRL Premierships.
Team news
Warrington welcome back George Williams, Toby King, Jordy Crowther, Marc Sneyd and Connor Wrench this weekend.
Hull KR have expereinced prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves back from a two-game ban. Michael McIlorum is also back in the 21-man squad, but he’ll be touch and go. Arthur Mourgue is cup-tied, so Jack Broadbent is likely to start at fullback.
My prediction
Warrington Wolves 12-25 Hull KR
Having lost in the Grand Final last year and the Challenge Cup Final the previous year, Hull KR have continued to grow this season, and it feels like now is their time. Anything can happen in a cup final and Warrington have some fantastic players, but the Robins have been building towards this for some time, and I’m expecting them to get the job done this weekend.
Betting tips
I haven’t seen a market for it yet, but for a big game like this on BBC, I’d expect to see a Man of the Match market before kick-off. If that does open up, I’m backing Mikey Lewis to win that and I’d expect it to be priced soemwhere between 2/1 and 4/1.
In the anytime try market, Josh Thewlis is generously priced at 3/1 for Warrington, while Peta Hiku looks the best-priced for Hull KR at 2/1.
I’m also liking the look of the total points to be odd, at 9/2. Both sides have drop goal specialists, and with cup finals usually tight affairs, there’s a good chance of someone taking a pop at the posts if they get the chance.
