After clinching the Challenge Cup with a 40-10 drubbing of Hull KR, Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet had one message for his side on how to celebrate: “Go as hard as you can for as long as you can”.
Wigan scored seven tries as they reclaimed the Challenge Cup in emphatic fashion for a record-extending 22nd time.
It was a performance that blended experience and youth, youngsters Jack Farrimond, Zack Eckersley, Brad O’Neill, Junior Nsemba and Noah Hodkinson starring despite their young years.
Farrimond took home the Lance Todd Trophy for his 60-minute cameo in which he scored two tries and came up with an assist before he was replaced by the returning Bevan French in the halves – he also scored a try.
Big moments like these that do not roll around too often and that is why Peet has told his side to soak in every minute of their celebrations, allthough Peet himself will be watching on from the sidelines.
“I have always been a bit too old in the teeth. I’m just looking forward to seeing my family and watching these lads rip in,” Peet said.
“I hope they go as hard as they can for as long as they possibly can, because they deserve it.
Wigan’s youngsters starred as the Warriors won the Challenge Cup
“It is important that they celebrate these moments and I will sit in the corner and enjoy watching them.
“They have got a great job, these lads, but they also sacrifice a lot and sometimes on some days it doesn’t go their way and people put the boot in and they have got to take some criticism on the chin.
“So, when they get these days where they have played that well, I want them to celebrate and enjoy it and get a taste for it.”
Matt Peet says he will watch on as his players enjoy themselves
One player who is sure to celebrate is Farrimond after his player-of-the-match performance.
He says he will be taking his head coach’s advice and had already been told by fellow half-back French that, as the Lance Todd Trophy recipient, he has to be the one to party the hardest.
“Bevan came up to me straight afterwards and said he was the last out when he won it in 2024 so I have to be tonight,” Farrimond said.
The big French decision: He convinced me to put him on
The talk all week was whether French would return and he did on the bench, coming on in place of Farrimond.
Peet admitted he was unsure whether he was going to put him on, especially given the way Farrimond was playing, but was convinced by the star man to give him a go.
Wigan had a day to remember at Wembley
Talking through the decision, Peet said: “We always had this game in mind and he had to be ticking the box off along the way in terms of his running and he’d had some follow-up scans and his strength test and all the markers, but physios and the specialists that were monitoring were saying throughout the whole process that this game was very achievable.
“When we were 20 minutes left, I spoke to him and he said ‘I don’t mind but I’m 100 per cent ready to go.
“So, I thought he probably wants a beer tonight, doesn’t he?
“I am glad I got him on the field and got to see him. It is quite a nice try.”
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com
