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Betfred Super League Grand Final

Hull KR (10) 24

Tries: Lewis, Burgess 2, Litten Goals: Mourgue, Martin 3

Wigan (2) 6

Hull KR became only the fifth team to ever win a Super League Grand Final as they put in a stunning performance to beat Wigan Warriors at Old Trafford and seal a historic treble.

Only Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos, St Helens and their opponents Wigan had ever won in a Grand Final before they took to the field, and they ensured they would add a third trophy to their 2025 locker having already won the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield.

Brad O’Neill’s first-half yellow card for a tip tackle on Tyrone May proved decisive, with Mikey Lewis and Joe Burgess running in while the Cherry and Whites were depleted.

Despite KR’s commanding performance, it was Wigan who almost edged in front early on when Bevan French put in a defence-carving run to go in from Liam Marshall’s kick, but replays showed he dropped the ball before grounding.

A tempestuous opening, which had previously seen Jared Waerea-Hargreaves go in hard on French, came to a head when Wigan had O’Neill sent to the bin for his wayward tackle on May for which he was lucky not to see red.

And Hull KR wasted no time in making their advantage count as Lewis sold a sumptuous dummy to run in with ease right in front of Wigan’s supporters at the Stretford End for his 21st try of the season.

O’Neill’s yellow card became even more costly soon after as Hull KR worked the ball wide to Burgess, who touched down at the corner.

Wigan ended the first half with two points on the board after Adam Keighran’s audacious long-range penalty goal and, in much the same manner as Lewis’s first half score, Jai Field sold a tremendous dummy to send Harry Smith through.

Whereas the 2024 final was a tense and a low scoring affair, Hull KR flipped that script on its head with this year’s war of attrition.

Gone was the caginess of last year. And nerves? What nerves? This was a side made for the occasion, that knew they were on the cusp of greatness and took their opportunity.

Yet it might not have been that way as they were off the pace in the opening stages, and were lucky not to fall behind when they failed to pick up French on the turnover prior to his score being chalked off.

Other than that if they seemed unnerved by the occasion, knowing they were 80 minutes from a history-making treble, they did not seem to show it.

Much had been said in the build-up to the game about Hull KR’s recent and distant past – whether that’s relegation in the Million Pound Game in 2016 or finishing bottom of Super League in 2020.

Indeed, outside of some second-tier honours, you had to go back 40 years to the last time that the Robins reigned supreme.

Bolstered by the retiring Waerea-Hargreaves – who almost missed the game through suspension prior to KR’s successful appeal this week – and Micky McIlorum, they soon carved open Wigan and never looked back.

Lewis, the Robins’ talisman has gone from strength to strength in recent seasons but much like his team, this feels like the moment in his career where he truly came alive.

But this was a team performance. It wasn’t won by individual moments of brilliance.

It was a team display befitting of a treble-winning side and masterminded by an elite coach in Willie Peters.

From the glory of grabbing everything they could in 2024, Wigan’s 2025 campaign ends without a trophy.

Hull KR have long been the consistent side this term and they showed that in spades during this Grand Final.

Wigan, despite having the pairing of French and Field and having a matchday squad of 15 players from last season’s final, could not match Hull KR’s dominance and the Matt Peet era sees its first trophyless season as a result.

But this was an uncharacteristically poor Wigan display and, outside of a promising opening 10 minutes, they rarely looked like gaining a decisive foothold in the game.

Since Peet arrived in 2022, Wigan have seemingly played level-headed rugby which has paid off – resulting in trophies galore.

Yet they seemed unable to deal with Hull KR’s combative gameplan and heavy hitting, which proved O’Neill’s – and Wigan’s – downfall in a poor first-half showing.

Putting the blame solely at Wigan’s door would be unfair to Hull KR, who executed their plan with perfection and looked sensational in possession, attack and – for the most part – defence.

Hull KR: Mourgue; Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess; Lewis, May; Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella

Interchanges: Litten, Luckley, Whitbread, Martin.

Wigan: Field; Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Byrne, O’Neill, Thompson, Walters, Farrell, Ellis.

Interchanges: Harvard, Nsemba, Mago, Leeming.

United Rugby Championship

Glasgow Warriors (14) 49

Tries: Steyn, Horne 2, Brown, Hiddleston, Matthews, penalty try Cons: Hastings 4, Horne, Lancaster

Glasgow Warriors plundered seven unanswered tries at Scotstoun as they crushed Dragons in the United Rugby Championship.

Captain Kyle Steyn and George Horne both crossed in the first half for Franco Smith’s side, who were beaten at the death by Benetton last week.

There were further tries after the interval for Gregor Brown, Gregor Hiddleston, Horne and Johnny Matthews – as well as a penalty try in the final play – as Glasgow sealed their second league win from their opening three matches.

After a disappointing second half in Italy last time out, Glasgow were again below their best level in the opening 40 minutes back at home.

They hit the front after 10 minutes, though, as Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu took the ball to the line and released the onrushing Steyn inside him to score under the posts.

Brown – who was Glasgow’s standout performer on the night – set up the second score by handing off one defender and then offloading superbly to Horne, who raced into the corner.

Dragons had their moments in the opening period but lacked a clinical touch.

Their best chance came and went when full-back Huw Anderson fizzed an unsympathetic pass out to wing David Richardson, who was unable to cling on with space in front of him.

Glasgow were much improved after the half-time break and Brown crashed over for his first try for the club soon after the restart.

Hooker Hiddleston then scored at the back of a rolling maul to secure the bonus point following a magnificent kick to touch by fly-half Adam Hastings.

The tries continued to flow as Steyn burst through two would-be tacklers before giving Horne a stroll under the posts for his 61st Glasgow try.

Dragons visibly tired as the half went on and Glasgow didn’t let up, with replacement hooker Matthews sniping from close range to cross on his 100th Warriors appearance.

Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay, Kyle Steyn, Ollie Smith, Sione Tuipulotu, Jamie Dobie, Adam Hastings, George Horne; Rory Sutherland, Gregor Hiddleston, Fin Richardson, Alex Craig, Scott Cummings, Gregor Brown, Macenzzie Duncan, Euan Ferrie.

Replacements: Johnny Matthews, Patrick Schickerling, Murphy Walker, Alex Samuel, Max Williamson, Angus Fraser, Ben Afshar, Dan Lancaster.

Dragons: Huw Anderson, Fine Inisi, Aneurin Owen, Harri Ackerman, David Richards, Jac Lloyd, Che Hope; Rodrigo Martinez, Oli Burrows, Dillon Lewis, Levi Douglas, Seb Davies, Ryan Woodman, Harrison Keddie, Mackenzie Martin

Replacements: James Benjamin, Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, Chris Coleman, Matthew Screech, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Niall Armstrong, Tinus de Beer, Rio Dyer.

United Rugby Championship

Leinster (21) 31

Tries: Osborne, O’Brien, Van der Flier, Deegan, McCarthy Cons: Byrne 3

Sharks (5) 5

Leinster shook off their early-season woes to secure a deserved bonus-point United Rugby Championship win over the Sharks at Aviva Stadium.

Having fallen to the Stormers and Bulls in South Africa, the URC holders quickly seized control and led 21-0 inside 27 minutes through Jamie Osborne, Jimmy O’Brien and Josh van der Flier tries.

South Africa international winger Ethan Hooker pounced on a Harry Byrne mistake to bring the Sharks back into the game before half-time.

However, Max Deegan and Gus McCarthy scored the only tries in a low-key second half to ensure a comfortable return to winning ways for Leinster.

Bolstered by the return of five British and Irish Lions, Leinster looked slick with ball in hand in a performance that will please both Cullen and Andy Farrell, who names his squad for Ireland’s autumn Tests on Wednesday.

James Lowe – a key cog in the Ireland team – was instrumental in Leinster’s opening try, with his neat grubber kick putting Osborne through for the opening try in the 11th minute.

The hosts were initially frustrated in their search for a second when Robbie Henshaw was held up over the line. Moments later, though, they launched a rapid play from a scrum as half-backs Fintan Gunne and Harry Byrne combined to tee up an onrushing O’Brien.

And when returning Lion Van der Flier marked his first outing as Leinster captain with the home side’s third, it looked a long way back for the Sharks.

However, a loose pass from Byrne – who replaced Sam Prendergast in the line-up – allowed Hooker to intercept and give the South Africans a glimmer of hope before the break.

Following a scrappy start to the second half, Leinster were given the chance to kick to the corner when prop Ruan Dreyer was penalised for a head-on-head tackle on Van der Flier.

While Dreyer avoided a yellow card, Leinster pounced from the resultant line-out as Osborne put Deegan through in the corner to crush the Sharks’ slim hopes of a second-half fightback.

With the visitors’ challenge already having fizzled out, replacement hooker McCarthy dotted down a gift of a try after Bongi Mbonambi’s line-out throw eluded his team-mates.

Leinster: Osborne; J O’Brien, Henshaw, Frawley, Lowe; Byrne, Gunne: P McCarthy, Kelleher, Furlong, Deeny, Baird, Soroka, Van der Flier (capt), Deegan.

Replacements: G McCarthy, Boyle, Clarkson, Mangan, Culhane, McGrath, Cooney, Kenny.

Sin-bin: Boyle (74 mins)

Sharks: Van der Merwe; Hooker, Julius, Am, Mapimpi; Smith, Hendrikse; Matanzima, Mbatha, Dreyer, V Tshituka (capt), Orie, Buthelezi, E Tshituka, Hatton.

Replacements: Mbonambi, Bleuler, Koch, Hlekani, Mavesere, Braude, Masuku, Venter.

Hemel Hempstead Town will take their place in the main draw of the FA Cup for just the third time in 105 seasons after beating previous giant-killers Yeovil Town 2-1.

The Tudors lost Isiah Noel-Williams to a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident after just 25 minutes, but took the lead through skipper Kyle Ajayi’s low finish six minutes before the break.

Yeovil, 11th in the National League, looked to have earned a replay when Harvey Greenslade levelled with 20 minutes left.

But Finley Wilkinson headed an 87th-minute winner to send the National League South team into the first round proper for the first time in 11 years.

The other two upsets on the day came in Kent.

National League Solihull Moors lost 2-0 at National League South Ebbsfleet while the latter’s local and divisional rivals Tonbridge Angels also bowed out.

Eighth tier Maldon & Tiptree of Isthmian League Division One North are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition with the first round draw taking place on Monday.

The Jammers earned their sixth FA Cup win of the campaign – as many wins as a Premier League team would take to win the competition – having entered in the extra preliminary round on 1 August, beating Flackwell Heath 1-0.

Former West Ham forward Freddie Sears headed the only goal of the game, in which the ambitious Essex side played the entire second half with 10-men, former Dagenham keeper Elliot Justham saved a penalty and ex-Charlton, QPR and Ipswich forward Macauley Bonne made his debut.

The sole ninth-tier side in the round, Whitstable Town, bowed out 5-1 at National League Wealdstone while eighth-tier Runcorn Linnets lost 1-0 to National League North side Buxton, who made it to the first round for the third time in five seasons.

At the other end of the non-league scale, 1955 semi-finalists York City won 2-1 at Rochdale, the highest-ranked team in the competition, leading the National League with 10 wins from their opening 12 games.

Hartlepool needed a late leveller to force a replay at Northern Premier League side Gainsborough Trinity while Pools’ National League rivals Tamworth overcame Hyde United by the only goal and will be dreaming of another run to the third round, where they gave Tottenham a real scare at The Lamb just last season.

In the opening tie of the round, live on BBC Sport, seventh-tier Farnham Town were denied a famous win at home to National League Sutton United by an agonising 98th-minute equaliser.

Farnham had risen to the Southern Premier South after back-to-back promotions, while Sutton were playing League Two football until dropping into the National League in 2024.

Darryl Sanders twice edged the hosts in front at the start of each half only for Harry Phipps and then Brandon Njoku to level.

Sutton pulled off one of the cup’s biggest-ever shocks when they beat top-tier Coventry City in 1989, but looked to be on the wrong end of an upset when Owen Dean netted in the 61st minute.

Farnham Town 3-3 Sutton United

AFC Totton 1-1 Truro City

Altrincham 2-2 Harborough Town

Aveley 0-3 Gateshead

Banbury United 1-1 St Albans City

Braintree Town 2-0 Farnborough

Carlisle United 5-2 Boston United

Chelmsford City 4-3 Chippenham Town

Darlington 0-6 AFC Telford United

Dorking Wanderers 2-3 Aldershot Town

Eastbourne Borough 0-3 Boreham Wood

Ebbsfleet United 2-0 Solihull Moors

Gainsborough Trinity 1-1 Hartlepool United

Hampton & Richmond 0-2 Eastleigh

Hemel Hempstead Town 2-1 Yeovil Town

Macclesfield 1-0 Stamford AFC

Maldon & Tiptree 1-0 Flackwell Heath

Morecambe 1-1 Chester

Rochdale 1-2 York City

Runcorn Linnets 0-1 Buxton

Scunthorpe United 4-2 King’s Lynn Town

Slough Town 3-2 Enfield Town

South Shields 4-0 Spalding United

Southend United 4-1 Folkestone Invicta

Southport 1-3 Halifax Town

Spennymoor Town 1-0 Billericay Town

Tamworth 1-0 Hyde United

Tonbridge Angels 1-2 Chatham Town

Wealdstone 5-1 Whitstable Town

Weston-super-Mare 1-0 Needham Market