Warrington Wolves 12 Hull KR 32: Willie Peters' team remain benchmark after booking Wembley place with swagger

Last year's treble winners faced questions in the wake of their chastening Las Vegas defeat to Leeds Rhinos but they have since proved it was little more than a World Club Challenge hangover.

Rovers rediscovered their swagger during a run of six emphatic wins and demonstrated the big-game temperament that marks them out as the team to beat in 2026 with a dominant performance in Doncaster.

The five-try win keeps alive hopes of a dynasty-defining campaign and ensures Willie Peters' Challenge Cup story will end on the grandest stage of all in a third Wembley final in four years later this month.

A repeat of the last two Grand Finals against the old benchmark now awaits the Robins after Wigan Warriors swatted aside old foes St Helens.

It was at the Eco-Power Stadium in 2024 that KR's cup chances evaporated in the face of an inspired showing from the Warriors.

Rovers returned to Doncaster as an entirely different beast, doing to Warrington what Wigan had done to them two years earlier.

Unbeaten in do-or-die matches since the 2024 Super League Grand Final, the Robins played with the belief of a team that now expect to win these big games.

On the evidence of this semi-final, they will take some stopping under the Wembley Arch.

Warrington are flying high in Super League but they simply could not keep up with Rovers.

Sam Burgess' men pushed KR all the way in last year's final, denied in the dying minutes by Tom Davies.

Here, in drier conditions, Warrington were blown away.

Rovers are becoming a bogey team for the Wire in big games after beating them in the Super League semi-finals two years ago.

Whereas the previous two last-four clashes were nervy affairs, this was the Robins at their stifling best.

It was clear they were in the mood from the start as they overwhelmed Warrington with their now-famed intensity in front of a sea of red and white.

The KR fans lapped up every hit after taking over the Eco-Power Stadium.

They only had to wait five minutes for the opening try, which was earned and finished by James Batchelor.

The back-rower's kick chase forced Josh Thewlis into an error and he was there to coast over untouched from Tyrone May's classy pass in the next set.

Thewlis recovered from his error to produce a try-saving tackle on Joe Burgess but the Wolves were rattled, as evidenced by an uncharacteristically wayward kick from Marc Sneyd that sailed out on the full.

Once again, the mistake was KR's reward for suffocating pressure, Dean Hadley flooring Albert Hopoate with a bone-crunching hit to set the tone for a bruising set.

If anyone embodied Warrington's scrambled brains, it was James Bentley. The former Leeds back-rower gifted Rovers two points when he took exception to a tackle by Mikey Lewis before conceding another penalty for a high shot on the half-back.

Burgess ensured Bentley paid the ultimate price with a flying finish at the end of a slick move to the left on the last tackle of another probing set.

When Lewis added the extras from the touchline, Rovers were well on their way to Wembley.

But Warrington limited the damage and went into half-time just 14-6 behind, a scoreline they would have happily taken 25 minutes in.

Ben Currie's try gave them hope after Lewis and Jack Broadbent got in each other's way from Sneyd's testing kick.

A series of interminable delays threatened to suck the life out of the contest before Lewis jolted the second half into life with a break from deep.

That defensive lapse aside, the Wire picked up where they left off at the end of the first period with more purpose in attack.

Lewis relieved the pressure with a nerveless take under his own posts from Sneyd's kick before Rovers scored the crucial next try.

After Thewlis was adjudged to have spilt May's bomb following a successful Captain's Challenge by KR, Oliver Gildart cruised over from the scrum.

Rhyse Martin missed the conversion but made no mistake from a penalty when Warrington were penalised for a push in the ruck.

That gave the Robins a three-score lead that they were never likely to relinquish.

Burgess completed his brace after Gildart pounced on an error by Hopoate and even Sam Stone's try could not dampen the spirits of the KR faithful.

The afternoon ended how it began with Batchelor touching down from a May assist, this time a wicked kick.

It was a slice of fortune Rovers had earned after flexing their muscles in the South Yorkshire sunshine.

Warrington Wolves: Thewlis, Hopoate, Smith, King, Ashton, Irwin, Sneyd, Byrne, Walker, Sipley, Bentley, Stone, Currie. Substitutes: Yates, Crowther, Philbin, Tanginoa.

Tries: Currie (34), Stone (76).

Goals: Sneyd 2/2.

Hull KR: Broadbent, Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess, Lewis, May, Sue, Lawton, Amone, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella. Substitutes: Litten, Luckley, Whitbread, Martin.

Tries: Batchelor (5, 79), Burgess (24, 72), Gildart (58).

Goals: Lewis 3/3, Martin 3/4.

Referee: Liam Moore.