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solution number Completed a historic treble after defeating the defending champions Wigan 24-6 in a thrilling Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford.
Led by the inimitable Mickey Lewis, Rovers took an early lead and faced an inevitable battle to add final domestic accolades to their Challenge Cup and League Leaders Shield triumphs.
Joe Burgess flew over for his second try in the final minutes after intercepting a desperate pass from Harry Smith to seal a superb Rovers performance and spark wild scenes among the Rovers contingent in the crowd of 68,853 at the final hooter.
After a week when the pre-match narrative was about seizing the moment, it was Wigan who failed to grasp their early chances and the moment Lewis had the audacity to head home the opener midway through the opening period, Rovers, fleet-footed and almost impenetrable, had the game in their hands.
Joe Burgess added Rovers’ second try, both tries coming during a period of numerical advantage when Brad O’Neill was sin-binned for a tip-tackle, and despite Smith giving Wigan hope in the second half, Rovers took complete command and Jazz Leighton’s try on the full hour sealed his side’s thoroughly deserved victory.
Rovers had raised concerns that they were limping along somewhat in the final days of the regular season and did not need a reminder of the 2024 final, in which they failed to convert some early chances and Bevan French’s superb solo effort effectively sealed a low-scoring rain-affected match.
A year later, more favorable conditions appeared to be in favor of Matt Peat’s men, but Rovers were clearly nervous, missing two golden early chances, captain Liam Farrell being the first to be guilty when he fumbled a delicious underarm pass. French When after just eight minutes one had to bow down on the line.
An error from full-back Arthur Murgue gave Wigan a second chance five minutes later, with the Frenchman under pressure from Lewis slicing the ball across the line through the Rovers defence.
It was something of a letdown for the star of 12 months ago and after downing his luck in the early stages, Rovers took advantage of it with brutal efficiency after O’Neill’s tip-tackle on Tyrone May sent the Wigan hooker to the sin-bin.
Two minutes into the power-play, Lewis impatiently sought the ball during a right-to-left move and sold a dummy to the flat-footed Farrell before advancing to put Rovers in front.
Morgue’s conversion extended the Robins’ lead to six and they were unable to do so, overcoming the Wigan rearguard and reaching double figures after 27 minutes when Oliver Gildart headed a brilliantly executed corner to Wigan-born team-mate Burgess.
The reintroduction of O’Neill hardly helped the favorites, who remained down the cosh for the remainder of the first period, before Adam Keighran’s long-range penalty put them on the scoreboard as the half-time hooter sounded.
It looked to be more of the same in the second half when Ethan Howard struck but the momentum was in danger of taking a dramatic turn after 49 minutes when Jay Field weaved his way into space and sent Smith roaring home for Wigan’s opener.
The blow for Rovers was mitigated by Keighran’s missed conversion, followed by a knock-on by Sam Walters at the other end, which gave Rhys Martin a chance to put his side back into a six-point lead at 12–6.
Rovers took a seismic step towards their historic first title on the hour mark when Lytton launched and finished another brilliantly organized attacking move for his team’s third try.
After faltering briefly in the face of the inevitable Wigan fightback, Martin’s nervy conversion put Rovers back in almost complete control at 18–6 and Burgess sealed their victory when he raced away from an interception and swan-dived over the line in front of a crowd of Rovers fans behind the posts.