1895 Cup final: Tries galore and records broken as Wakefield Trinity end their 45-year wait for Wembley

From producing a record-breaking victory over Newcastle Thunder in the group stages to defeating Bradford Bulls at an atmospheric Odsal in the semi-finals, Wakefield - and their fans - have experienced an entertaining road to the national stadium, which culminates in an-all Yorkshire clash with Sheffield Eagles.

Trinity’s adventure started on Sunday, February 4 in what was a new-look format for the 1895 Cup. As opposed to the 2022 and 2023 editions of the competition, where those Championship or League 1 teams who reached the sixth round of the Challenge Cup made it through to the 1895 last-four, this season’s version saw seven groups of three play two games with the winners and the best second placed team progressing into the quarter finals.

Just one defeat or minor slip-up, therefore, would likely mean a team’s journey would come to a devastating, crushing and premature end.

However, in what was Daryl Powell’s first competitive game in charge of the club after relegation from Super League, Wakefield, who were tipped for league and cup glory even before a ball had been thrown, showed no signs of fear or weakness in a 40-4 victory away at York Knights. Statement made.

Powell’s men certainly lived up to the pre-season hype by racing into a 24-0 lead as York were blown away inside the opening 20 minutes.

Lachlan Walmsley, on the back of 38 tries in all competitions for Halifax Panthers in 2023, scored a sensational hat-trick while Luke Gale, Jermaine McGillvary, Josh Griffin and Caleb Uele all chipped in with tries.

Trinity then demonstrated why they were favourites for the competition with a record-breaking 110-0 dismantling of Newcastle Thunder at Featherstone Rovers’ Millennium Stadium to progress into the quarter finals.

It was the biggest ever victory in the club’s history, while Mason Lino’s spectacular individual tally of 38 points was a club record for points scored by a single player in a game. Special memories were already being created, in only the third game of 2024 - Trinity’s 70-6 win at Siddal in the Challenge Cup was sandwiched between these 1895 Cup group games.

Lino went over for the first of an incredible 19 tries for Wakefield inside the opening minute before Romain Franco added a second four minutes later. Franco doubled his try tally with barely ten minutes on the clock before Jay Pitts touched down.

Walmsley then went over following a great team move before Pitts got his second. 34-0 after 24 minutes - would Wakefield take their foot off the gas? Not a chance, as an additional five tries were scored before the half time hooter.

Lino got his second, Noah Booth scored on his debut and Toby Boothroyd touched down to bring up a half century of points in the blink of an eye. Pitts then found Lino for his hat-trick before Mathieu Cozza went over for an eye-watering 64-0 lead at the break.

In the second half Oliver Pratt crossed from a scrum, Harvey Smith then went over before Franco landed his hat-trick in the 50th minute. A second for Cozza and a Lino conversion made it 88-0. Renouf Atoni’s try before the hour-mark broke the club record for most points in a game.

But more points were still to come. Boothroyd got his second before the boot of Lino - his 12th of the game - brought up 100 points. Lino’s grubber kick enabled Franco to get his fourth, before Jack Croft got the game’s final try with Lino completing Newcastle’s misery with a final conversion to break the club record for most points scored in a game.

It’s fair to say that Wakefield, as expected, were given a sterner test in their last-eight tie with Barrow Raiders at Belle Vue.

Two very early tries from Renouf Atoni and Max Jowitt gave Trinity a commanding platform against a battling Barrow side, but Josh Griffin’s score just before the half-time hooter handed them further breathing room and an 18-0 lead.

However, the Cumbrians fought back through Max Anderson-Moore’s double to give the Raiders some hope - and Trinity some thinking to do.

But they responded perfectly thanks to Atoni’s second and a Harvey Smith effort which sent Wakefield through to the semi-finals and a West Yorkshire derby with Bradford Bulls at Odsal.

Trinity were just 80 minutes away from a first Wembley appearance since 1979.

The wait for the last-four clash was a long one. Wakefield had to negotiate seven rounds of Championship rugby league - which they did with aplomb and assurance - before their eagerly-anticipated last-four clash.

The Bulls themselves had not played at the national stadium in 27 years. And that desire showed as the home side charged into an 8-0 lead.

Wakefield were shocked and rocked. But they were not out of contention. Ky Rodwell’s converted try reduced the deficit to 8-6 before the half-time hooter.

And their class and full-time fitness came to fruition in the second half as a double from captain Matty Ashurst and efforts from Liam Hood, the returning Jermaine McGillvary, Atoni and Derrell Olpherts sealed an emphatic 40-14 victory.

All in front of the highest attendance - 5,340 - for an 1895 Cup fixture outside of Wembley.

Thousands more, dressed in the red, white and blue of Wakefield, are expected to descend on the iconic venue this Saturday, as a new generation of fans experience a Wembley final for the first time since 1979.

Sheffield Eagles’ road to Wembley hasn’t been as emphatic as Wakefield’s.

But, aside from Doncaster getting to within four points in an edgy 22-18 win at the Eco Power Stadium in the group stages, the Eagles have rarely had their feathers ruffled on their way to the national stadium.

Sheffield were more dominant in their final group game at Midlands Hurricanes, winning 30-16 to top group seven. That set up a quarter-final with last year’s runners-up, Batley Bulldogs. But Batley’s hopes of a return to Wembley were crushed as the South Yorkshire side won 26-10.

Sheffield then met York Knights in the last four. York, who were convincingly beaten by Trinity in group three, had secured their passage to the knock-out stages thanks to a +68 points difference - they too had put over 100 points past Newcastle. And although they beat Oldham in the quarters, Sheffield proved too strong in the semis, winning 28-18.

The Eagles were the first ever winners of the 1895 Cup in 2019 but they will have it all to do against a strong Wakefield Trinity side who have already clipped their wings, 36-10, in the Championship this season.