Wigan Warriors 40 Hull KR 10: Willie Peters' side wilt in Wembley heat as rivals deliver crushing reality check

Rovers travelled to the capital holding all four trophies but they were powerless to prevent Wigan from reclaiming the Challenge Cup.

The Warriors were at their brilliant best in the Wembley sunshine, producing a masterclass to send a painful reminder to the Robins and secure their 22nd cup success.

KR may have swept the board over the past 12 months but Wigan's response suggested the old order is far from finished.

Driven on by the hurt of watching their rivals dominate, Matt Peet's side rediscovered the ruthless edge that defined their own quadruple.

Hull KR arrived as favourites but when the pressure intensified beneath the Wembley arch, the Warriors found another level to avenge last year's Grand Final defeat.

After scaling unprecedented heights since ending their long trophy drought at the same stadium last June, this was a brutal lesson in how hard it is to stay at the summit.

Rovers had the momentum of nine straight wins but that counted for nothing in the face of Wigan's relentless intensity.

The Warriors' unconventional build-up raised eyebrows, from Peet's decision to make sweeping changes for the Super League clash with KR to the surprise inclusion of Bevan French after less than three months out with a serious hamstring injury.

Even the choice to swap a traditional Wembley captain's run for a game of cricket now looks like the work of a coach entirely comfortable with his team's approach to the biggest domestic game of the season to date.

In the end, Peet's methods were vindicated in the only currency that matters on the grandest stage: victory – and a handsome one at that.

French came off the bench in the final quarter to land another blow on a battered and bruised Hull KR.

But young half-back Jack Farrimond – the 20-year-old who has been entrusted with a leading role in French's absence – was the star of the show on his way to claiming the Lance Todd Trophy.

The Robins still have plenty to play for in Willie Peters' final season but this will sting for a while.

It was almost Las Vegas revisited, leaving Rovers with questions to answer in the second half of the year.

Painfully, too, for their loyal supporters, it was almost a flashback to their 2015 Wembley drubbing by Leeds Rhinos.

Indeed, this was the heaviest defeat in the Challenge Cup showpiece since that one-sided final. .

The writing was on the wall early on for the Robins.

In stifling heat and already without prop Jai Whitbread, losing workhorse Dean Hadley to a head knock inside three minutes was the last thing KR needed.

Wigan scored almost immediately after punishing an error from Jack Broadbent, Farrimond dummying his way over from the scrum.

That early try gave the Warriors the confidence to control the final.

Jake Wardle was held up over the line after Jez Litten diffused a testing kick in his in-goal area during a period of Wigan pressure.

Rovers had their moments but were kept at arm's length by tenacious defence.

When Tyrone May found himself in space from a deflected kick, he was quickly crowded out.

The Robins almost limped through to half-time – quite literally in Mikey Lewis' case – and they could not hold out.

Farrimond sensed Lewis was struggling on the left edge and that was all the encouragement he needed to dance his way through, leaving Broadbent on the floor as he raced over.

Rovers gave themselves a lifeline when Peta Hiku gathered May's bouncing kick on the last play of the first half and raced away to score – but it proved to be false hope.

Wigan lifted the intensity after the interval and the Robins could not go with them.

Junior Nsemba scored the crucial next try when he climbed highest to finish Farrimond's cross-field kick and it soon got worse for KR.

Adam Keighran finished Harry Smith's chip before streaking clear to make it a quickfire double.

To add insult to injury, French emerged from the bench way ahead of schedule and cruised through tired defence to score Wigan's sixth try.

Hiku finished in the corner to complete his brace but Luke Thompson had the last word when he took Zach Eckersley's offload and celebrated in front of jubilant supporters.

Even Sam Walters' late dismissal for a wild spear tackle on Bill Leyland could not spoil the party.

This was an afternoon when the Warriors reminded everybody that they are the Challenge Cup kings.

Wigan Warriors: Field, Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Hodkinson, Farrimond, Smith, Walters, O'Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Partington. Substitutes: French, Havard, Ellis, Mago.

Tries: Farrimond (4, 36), Nsemba (44), Keighran (52, 55), French (65), Thompson (73).

Goals: Keighran 6/7.

Red card: Walters (79).

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

Tries: Hiku (40, 70).

Goals: Martin 1/2.

Referee: Liam Moore.