Rivals re-united | Matt Peet & Willie Peters preview Betfred Challenge Cup Final

Is Hull KR versus Wigan Warriors the new big rivalry in northern hemisphere Rugby League?

It’s the question on everyone’s lips - two juggernauts who, in recent years, seem to be facing each more and more in the games that really matter.

The last two Betfred Super League Grand Finals have been contested by them, Wigan winning in 2024 but Rovers gaining their revenge 12 months later.

They’ve battled it out in regular campaigns, too, with KR pipping Matt Peet’s side to the League Leaders’ Shield by just two points on their way to last year’s historic Treble.

The campaign before, Wigan claimed top spot by the same narrow margin, forcing the East Yorkshire club into second.

There’s been semi-finals as well with Warriors downing KR in the 2024 Challenge Cup at Doncaster, gaining their own retribution after Brad Schneider’s Golden Point drop-goal had ended their dream at that stage at AMT Headingley the year before.

But now, as they contest their first-ever final in this prestigious knock-out competition, there is a growing sense these could be the two clubs firing it out in the end game for some time.

Willie Peters, the Aussie coach who ended Rovers’ 40-year wait for a major trophy when leading them to Wembley glory last June, admits: “I suppose the biggest compliment that I got was maybe back around 2023 when Matt Peet said ‘I’m sure we’ll be playing a few more big games together over the next couple of years.’

“That sort of hit home a little bit. I was thinking ‘okay, we are getting the opposition’s respect.’ That was a really nice compliment for us to get from Wigan, given what they’ve done and still do.

“We played them again, and we’ve had some really tight games. Before you know it, we’ve played two Grand Finals, two Challenge Cup semis and now we’re in another Challenge Cup final.

“So, he was right when he said it, and it was something that we obviously were aspiring to - to get to the levels to where the Wigans and St Helens were at the time.

“It’s great to be able to play in these big games against them. Now we’ve got another.”

Pose the same question to Peet, the Wiganer who won the Treble with his hometown in only his third season as a head coach in 2024, and he replies: “It could be [the next big rivalry].

“There’s other teams who will definitely have something to say about that the way Leeds and St Helens are shaping up.

“We won’t get it all our own way and let’s hope so.

“It’s credit to what KR have built over the past five years or so. They’ve grown year and year. And they’ve not just broken into that group as well - they lead it now given they hold all four trophies.”

The Robins, of course, added the World Club Challenge to their haul following February’s dismissal of NRL premiers Brisbane Broncos, much like Wigan did in 2024 when downing Penrith Panthers.

KR go in as Betfred Challenge Cup holders on Saturday and Peters admits he learned plenty from last year’s experience, beating Warrington Wolves late on in the Wembley decider.

The ex-South Sydney scrum-half says: “I thought we got our prep’ right - just our travel, where we stayed, little things like that.

“I thought we got that right and we felt more comfortable with our approach to that.

“We had a fan send-off again this time. I think that’s really, really important. People talk around Wembley that it’s just another game.

“But for me, with these big games, we’re a community based club and we wanted to include our supporters and greet them before we go.

“We made sure we did that. It’s really, really important to us. These are things that we feel what we want to do, not have to do.

“And we want to savour it [winning] all again. We’ve been on both sides when you don’t get the result (losing against Leigh at Wembley in Golden Point in 2023). And then when you do get the result.

“We’re certainly chasing that feeling of last year, that’s for sure. It means just as much.”

But no club has won the Challenge Cup more than Wigan and their 21 triumphs. Peet was raised watching legends of the game such as Shaun Edwards, Ellery Hanley and Andy Gregory hoist the famous trophy.

He explains: “That’s the excitement of the Cup; it’s a really fun week for everyone in the town.

“There’s no doubt that at the back end, to finish the season with a win in a Grand Final, is special.

“But this one, it’s more of a sense of taking the whole club down to London. With our Women’s side involved in the final, too, and both Schools finalists being Wigan schools, it can be a really special time for the town.

“With that in mind, we have a responsibility to perform.”

If Wigan defend like they did in the semi-final, producing a remarkable display to keep fierce rivals St Helens pointless in a ruthless 32-0 victory, it will take some effort from the Robins to prosper.

Peters, who played for Wigan in 2000 alongside icons like Jason Robinson, Andy Farrell and Steve Renouf, counters: “Yeah. But we aim to be in the same mood.

“We agree - defence wins big games. We’ve never shied away from that.

“We’ve always put our defence on show, in the sense that we always say we’re a defence-focused team first.

“So, when you do that, you need to back it up. And I think we’re getting there, that’s for sure.

“Wigan are certainly hard to break down. When you’re playing the best teams in the competition, it’s like that. You need to know your plan, execute it and be patient with it.

“But we know what we’re going to do.”

Peet touches upon his side’s Grand Final defeat against Rovers when discussing what his side learned from that 24-6 loss last October but it’s not high in his thoughts.

“I don’t think we needed it but it was a reminder you’ve got to take your opportunities when they come,” he says.

“We’re very aware that Hull KR are a clinical team and we will have to play for the full 80 minutes.

“There’s things we learned that night that fed into our pre-season - we had a man in the sin-bin and didn’t handle that well enough.

“But it is long time ago now and both teams are different. And the game’s evolved, too.”

There’ll be seismic match-ups across the Wembley turf this afternoon: Mikey Lewis versus Harry Smith, Jez Litten against Brad O’Neill plus Jake Wardle facing Peta Hiku.

But Peet is looking further afield when looking at who he’s excited about watching the most.

He says: “It’s really exciting for the lads who have broken in this year - people like Jack Farrimond and Noah Hodkinson.

“It’s a great opportunity for them. Zach Eckersley’s another of the younger players although he’s been there before and scored in 2024.

“It’s great to see them all getting these sorts of experiences.

“We know what sort of a challenge it’s going to be.

“Hull KR’s strengths are certainly the fact that they’re a connected team. They’ve been through a lot together which strengthens you.

“But it’s their work ethic which Willie has instilled in them from day one. Combine that with their talent and you can see why they’re such a threat.”

Peters, who has had such a transformative effect on the club since arriving four years ago, heads back to his homeland at the end of the season ahead of taking over new NRL franchise PNG Chiefs in 2028.

Like Peet, he’s already achieved everything possible as a coach in the British game. But his appetite isn’t sated; he wants to leave a legacy when he departs Craven Park.

Peters adds: “Oh, we’ve still got a lot to achieve.

“But, at the moment, it’s just Wembley. We’re only worried about the short-term; we’ve never looked too far ahead.

“When we’ve done that in the past, you start to find yourself not consistently getting performances and then that means not consistently getting good results.

“We’re aware of what works for us and that’s keeping a narrow focus.

“But to play in these big games, we never take anything for granted, that’s for sure.

“I spoke around the semi-final (against Warrington) to our staff around making sure that we prepare these guys the best we can, because days like this can come and go.

“And that’s what we didn’t want - to be on the wrong end of the scoreboard and thinking we’re that close to getting to Wembley and playing in a final.

“Well, we’re here now. So, it’s important we take the same approach.”

Either way, everything is set for a classic encounter as two squads at the height of their powers go toe-to-toe again.

By Dave Craven

Tickets for 2026 Betfred Challenge Cup Final can be purchased here.