Briers and Hicks help Wolves rise to the Challenge

What was supposed to be a classic Wembley final turned out to be one of the most one-sided, with Warrington entirely convincing in retaining the Challenge Cup.

Chris Hicks claimed a rare Wembley hat-trick, the first since the Leeds Rhinos wing Leroy Rivett grabbed four in the last final at the old Wembley. Ryan Atkins – one of the players they have added since last year's triumph over Huddersfield – got two and Louis Anderson scored the last.

But it was the craft of the stand-off Lee Briers that won him the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match in a landslide vote. He had an influential role in four of those six tries and generally bossed the show in midfield to set the stage for the Wolves to dominate.
Leeds, desperate for their first Challenge Cup this millennium, made too many mistakes and missed too many tackles – Warrington are not going to be beaten at Wembley by a team that does that. They failed to respond to the atmosphere generated by a sell-out crowd and it is no exaggeration to say that they could have lost by more.

The absence of the injured Jamie Peacock, a player who could conceivably have lifted the team, was all too obvious. Compared with Warrington's decision to leave out Richie Myler, Leeds' choice of the 20-year-old novice, Chris Clarkson, to start in the second row was not exactly cataclysmic. It was, though, a huge vote of confidence in a player who was completely unknown this time last year. Carl Ablett was on the bench after his three match suspension and, as expected, Ali Lauitiiti was the Rhinos forward to miss out.

Both sides committed an early blunder, Danny Buderus fumbling Briers' kick-off and Atkins squandering that possession by being forced into touch on the first tackle.

Leeds then had a period of pressure which could have brought them an opening try, but which only saw Ryan Bailey held up over the line. The strain was only eased by another handling error from the vastly experienced Buderus – and then it was time for a short, sharp masterclass from Briers.

It was his kick across field after 13 minutes that found Atkins (below) in acres of space between Brett Delaney and Kevin Sinfield. The centre made the cleanest of catches and Warrington were on their way.

Almost immediately, Briers pinned Leeds back with a 40-20 kick and then through the long pass that released Matt King on the right wing. Hicks had the acumen to scissor inside him and although Ben Westwood failed with a second conversion by hitting a post Warrington were already in a commanding position.

Leeds threatened twice through Ryan Hall but once he was magnificently tackled into touch by Westwood and once was brought back for Brent Webb's forward pass.

The Rhinos, however, were about to turn attack into hapless defence. From Danny McGuire's high kick Chris Riley picked up and counterattacked. When he was stopped, Atkins found a scandalous gap between Hall and Ian Kirke to go the rest of the way, with Westwood adding the simple goal.

drive from www.independent.co.uk