Hull Kingston Rovers saw off Warrington in the semi-final to set up a big Wembley clash with Wigan Warriors.
The trophy-holders were simply too hot for an injury-hit and below-par Wire to handle in a dominant first 25 minutes, as they racked up a 14-0 lead through tries from James Batchelor and Joe Burgess, with Mikey Lewis converting both and adding a penalty.
Wire gave themselves a toehold in the game through Ben Currie’s try but the Robins’ vigorous defence and speed around the tackle was far too good for the Wire’s dogged determination.
Oliver Gildart crucially scored the first try of the second half and with Lewis adding a penalty and Burgess and Batchelor both grabbing their second tries, Sam Stone’s late score for the Wolves was academic.
Rovers headed into the tie at Doncaster’s Eco-Power Stadium as the form team in Super League, totting up six straight wins in all competitions after an indifferent start to the defence of their Super League title.
They came up against a Wire side who made the early running in that competition and, despite losing key players George Williams, Cai Taylor-Wray and James Harrison to injury, have still won four of their last five in all competitions.
The Robins, however, have hit the kind of form that saw them sweep aside all before them last season and then add the World Club Challenge to their honours list in February.
They put the squeeze on from the start, capitalising on a Josh Thewlis error by hammering away at the Wire line before Batchelor strolled through a gaping hole in the defence.
Thewlis redeemed himself with a try-saving tackle on Burgess but the Robins were inexorable as Lewis added a penalty and, while Wolves gave successive penalties away under severe pressure, had Burgess come up with a spectacular acrobatic finish in the corner.
For Warrington, it seemed that reaching half-time without further damage had to be the aim but they showed enough spirit to actually get back in the game, as Marc Sneyd’s high kick on the last tackle saw Lewis and Jack Broadbent collide, with Currie gleefully dropping on the loose ball.
The first try after the break was always going to be important and with both teams locked in a tense arm-wrestle, it was the Robins who powered on as Gildart went over.
Two successful captain’s challenges in quick succession by Rovers then brought them a penalty which Rhyse Martin kicked and with Warrington’s resistance broken, Burgess added another try in the corner.
Stone raced on to Matty Ashton’s kick to give the Wire fans something to cheer but Robins emphasised their superiority as Batchelor was first to a delicate grubber kick from the excellent Tyrone May.
