Semi-Final: Wigan v Salford

:00:48. > :01:01.Four seconds to go... And he has scored! Ahaz Dunnett! It is

:01:02. > :01:43.absolutely unbelievable. He's going all the way, what a try!

:01:44. > :02:00.That is a sensational try. Wigan, who can beat them?

:02:01. > :02:19.A wonderful try! Superb! They have created history.

:02:20. > :02:26.Yes, it is Salford's big day, their first Challenge Cup semifinal since

:02:27. > :02:31.1998 and in their racks today for the first time, they have their new

:02:32. > :02:35.signing, the beast, New Zealand's Manu Vatuvei, but there is no Robert

:02:36. > :02:40.Lui. Their opponents are formidable. Wigan Warriors have won the

:02:41. > :02:45.Challenge Cup a record 19 times, including an unprecedented eight in

:02:46. > :02:51.a row in the 1990s, and they have some pretty big names of their own.

:02:52. > :02:56.Welcome to the Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington. And don't by

:02:57. > :03:03.John Wilkin, Jamie Peacock and Salford born Wigan legend, now

:03:04. > :03:06.Widnes coach Dennis Batts. John, either its been very sunny in St

:03:07. > :03:11.Helens or our make-up artist went a bit overboard on the bronzer on you!

:03:12. > :03:16.You are looking very healthy. Thank you very much! I have been back to

:03:17. > :03:25.Hull for a few days. Just excited to be here. Nice weather. This is a

:03:26. > :03:29.huge game for Salford. Define themselves in a semifinal. Exactly.

:03:30. > :03:35.Salford have shown an aspiration to get to the big games. They are going

:03:36. > :03:39.in the right direction. That said, the last few months have been a

:03:40. > :03:42.difficult spell for Salford. They are coming to this game not in the

:03:43. > :03:48.kind of form they would like to be in. That is where today becomes

:03:49. > :03:51.interesting. Wigan have the pedigree and big-game experience. Salford are

:03:52. > :03:56.saying all the right things, but have been struggling. They have had

:03:57. > :04:03.a dip in form. Is this game possibly the reason for it, they have had an

:04:04. > :04:12.eye on that? Possibly. If you look at Wigan's form this year you see

:04:13. > :04:20.where they are. You see what it means to them. You come into this

:04:21. > :04:23.with the mentality of putting yourself in an uncomfortable

:04:24. > :04:32.position and you have to want to win more than the opposition. Wigan are

:04:33. > :04:36.used to winning trophies. Yeah, but I think the pressure comes from

:04:37. > :04:43.within. They have good coaching staff and that internal pressure to

:04:44. > :04:47.be the best. Well, this game has got quite something to live up to. We

:04:48. > :04:50.had an absolute cracker yesterday as Hull took on leads. Let's go back

:04:51. > :05:03.through the highlights with the help of Danny McGuire.

:05:04. > :05:25.COMMENTATOR: And here comes the final tackle. Yes! Now it comes to

:05:26. > :05:31.Kelly. Look at that gap! Listen, we are doing well here. We are in a

:05:32. > :05:39.good position. We have spoken about Kelly all week. You cannot knock

:05:40. > :05:44.off. Watkins comes in, grabs it. I'll! Wormhole.

:05:45. > :06:06.Ryan hall. Kelly again. There are going over the line.

:06:07. > :06:15.But Kelly with the catch, and absolutely miraculous pass away.

:06:16. > :07:05.Final play of the set. Absolutely terrific! Plenty of time

:07:06. > :07:12.for Hull to try and create something, and driven away and

:07:13. > :07:26.scored! He has deserved that for his performance today. Watkins puts the

:07:27. > :07:33.kick in. Jamie Shaw is on his way! It is a beautiful try, a beautiful

:07:34. > :07:40.moment that is taking Hull back to that beautiful place. Wembley, here

:07:41. > :07:57.they come. And there is Scott Taylor. Golding picks it up, and he

:07:58. > :08:01.will find his way to the try line. This party has already begun. What a

:08:02. > :08:08.performance, especially in the second half.

:08:09. > :08:15.Denis Betts, just how good were Hull yesterday? They were good, weren't

:08:16. > :08:20.they? They stick to their game plan. They looked like a side that had too

:08:21. > :08:24.much quality. They were confident. Two heavyweights, and one of them

:08:25. > :08:34.just got over the top. Hull were just too good. They got peppered a

:08:35. > :08:47.bit early on. They were hit by Leeds, but they came through that.

:08:48. > :08:55.We talk about sticking to a game plan. Why is that so important and

:08:56. > :09:00.why is it so difficult? In big games, it gives you something to

:09:01. > :09:04.fall back on. There are underlying characteristics to how you play the

:09:05. > :09:09.game which are fallback mechanism in big games. Leeds looked threatening

:09:10. > :09:15.but ultimately didn't have the structure to break Hull down. Hull's

:09:16. > :09:18.game plan was simple - to run as hard as they can up the middle of

:09:19. > :09:24.the field, get as far down as they can and put pressure on with the

:09:25. > :09:29.kicking game. And that was what they did. They did an exceptional job.

:09:30. > :09:35.That is discipline. It is a great trait for a big site. Can Leeds go

:09:36. > :09:45.on from this and win the Grand Final? By their first 35 minutes,

:09:46. > :09:48.yeah, they can. But with half an hour to go, I was looking at their

:09:49. > :09:57.body language and I thought, these boys think they have lost already.

:09:58. > :10:00.Well, let's look forward to today's game. This is where these two teams

:10:01. > :10:23.sit in the table. One of those key players is their

:10:24. > :10:26.England full-back, Sam Tomkins. He is back after his stint in the NRL.

:10:27. > :10:32.Today he will play alongside his big brother Joel, and opposite his

:10:33. > :10:50.little brother Logan, who left Wigan for Salford.

:10:51. > :10:55.We are all individuals. We are all very different characters with

:10:56. > :11:00.different interests. The only similarity is that we all play

:11:01. > :11:07.rugby. When these two are fighting, I get battered from both directions.

:11:08. > :11:13.Logan was mum's favourite. She gave him hugs and kisses. I didn't like

:11:14. > :11:21.rugby as a kid because I was dragged to every away game on a Sunday

:11:22. > :11:24.morning to watch these two. Tomkins, finding a gap and suddenly there is

:11:25. > :11:33.open space. Joel Tomkins, back to the middle! It is one of the great

:11:34. > :11:36.Wembley tries! Tomkins junior and Tomkins senior. It was a great

:11:37. > :11:41.achievement for us and it was nice that me and Sam were both involved

:11:42. > :11:45.in the try. Sam likes to claim more credit than he deserves. I clearly

:11:46. > :11:50.did all the hard work and manage to give it a jolt. He just had to

:11:51. > :11:54.stroll over and put it down. That is the most difficult part of having

:11:55. > :12:03.brothers playing the same sport. You get compared to one another. It is

:12:04. > :12:09.difficult to compare us. Sam has had massive amounts of success. From an

:12:10. > :12:14.early age, Joel was big and tall, I was short and skinny and Logan was

:12:15. > :12:17.about 100 kilos when he was 11. It was quickly apparent that we were

:12:18. > :12:22.all going to play different positions. After the first year, I

:12:23. > :12:28.was constantly asked whether I was going to be as good as my brothers.

:12:29. > :12:32.Now they have stopped asking. Wigan were not going to renew my contract

:12:33. > :12:36.and they agreed I was not going to further myself at Wigan. It was a

:12:37. > :12:40.completely different challenge going to Salford. Each week, I felt like I

:12:41. > :12:46.was improving just because I was getting more game time. So it was

:12:47. > :12:50.necessary, but tough. He's playing better rugby now than he ever did at

:12:51. > :12:54.Wigan. That is probably because his role is different at Salford, which

:12:55. > :12:55.suits him. I have seen a massive improvement in him since he has gone

:12:56. > :13:24.to Salford. My mum and dad were massive Wigan

:13:25. > :13:31.fans. Now they are Salford and Wigan fans. I don't know where their

:13:32. > :13:43.loyalties will live this weekend. I think they are happy we are playing

:13:44. > :13:49.in the semi. Manu Vatuvei is a brilliant signing for Salford. I

:13:50. > :13:54.wish it was later in the season. He is dangerous. He is massive and

:13:55. > :13:58.fast. The fact that Salford have not been there for so long will make us

:13:59. > :14:03.hungrier. If we play our own game, we will be hard to come up against.

:14:04. > :14:08.At Wigan, you expect to win trophies. Salford have not won

:14:09. > :14:13.anything for a while, but the best team will be going to Wembley. Well,

:14:14. > :14:17.I think Logan will get the biggest cheer. The Salford fans behind us

:14:18. > :14:22.are making a deafening noise as their team come out to warm up. It

:14:23. > :14:26.is great for the parents that they know they are going to Wembley, but

:14:27. > :14:31.watching must be agony. Well, they certainly got the cheapest train

:14:32. > :14:37.tickets, because they booked them straightaway. But all three are very

:14:38. > :14:45.different players. But they are all fighters and will fight for

:14:46. > :14:51.everything. Denis, they have the big games back -- they have the big guns

:14:52. > :14:56.back now, Wigan. Are you seeing them click, particularly in attack? We

:14:57. > :15:00.saw them against Leeds a couple of weeks ago. Sam has been a long time

:15:01. > :15:10.out this season. He's just starting to get his rhythm. I think Wigan

:15:11. > :15:20.have some fantastic big-game players. They want to step up. That

:15:21. > :15:23.is the challenge. You look to the Salford side and see the

:15:24. > :15:28.inexperience. They have some good players, but they lack the big-game

:15:29. > :15:36.players with experience. As Denis said, a lot of the players have been

:15:37. > :15:40.out for some time. Against Leeds, did you see those combinations start

:15:41. > :15:43.to come? Not just against Leeds. I think it has been building for

:15:44. > :15:48.Wigan. The more consistent you get your key players in your side, the

:15:49. > :15:52.better. For me, one of the star players is George Williams. Wigan at

:15:53. > :15:55.their worst just toss George Williams the ball and expect

:15:56. > :16:02.something. Here, they passed the ball to Sam Tomkins to create

:16:03. > :16:08.opportunities for Wigan. This is what George Williams does all day.

:16:09. > :16:13.He threatens with his running game. But when you have the might of Sam

:16:14. > :16:24.Tomkins around, it makes it easier. George has quality players around

:16:25. > :16:30.him. He is a wonderful player and he will be a real feature in this game

:16:31. > :16:32.today. Loss of individuality, but when a team clicks, it is because

:16:33. > :16:49.everybody has spent time together. Wigan have started to get a bit of

:16:50. > :17:01.flow. But the flow of Salford has been good. They have played well all

:17:02. > :17:07.year. Jon, take us through the Wigan team. Sam Tomkins is hugely

:17:08. > :18:09.important for Wigan, with his experience.

:18:10. > :18:18.So what will be the Wigan game plan? Let's go down to Robbie. One of the

:18:19. > :18:22.big things we have been talking about is how so many of the great

:18:23. > :18:26.players are coming back with his Wigan squad. We have been thinking

:18:27. > :18:32.about the spine of their team, Sam Tomkins, George Williams. Those guys

:18:33. > :18:43.have experience, but what makes this Wigan team so successful is the

:18:44. > :18:49.ability to control the speed. One guy I want to have a look at is big

:18:50. > :18:56.Frank Lisala. He is a powerhouse for them. When he does his job, he gets

:18:57. > :19:03.on top defensively. Sean O'Loughlin is another player they will look to.

:19:04. > :19:09.His experience is so important. John, can I have a quick word? How

:19:10. > :19:14.important is it for you to play in a team with Wigan having such a long

:19:15. > :19:19.history in the Challenge Cup? It's fantastic, mate. Everyone talks

:19:20. > :19:28.about just wanted to go out and do it. Great win against Leeds last

:19:29. > :19:34.week. Was that good preparation for the game today? It gave us

:19:35. > :19:40.confidence, obviously. Hopefully, we can pull it all together this week.

:19:41. > :19:44.Good luck. Let's hear from the two coaches.

:19:45. > :19:50.The big hitters are back and you are running into a bit of form. We are

:19:51. > :19:55.doing OK. We have not played really well this year. Hopefully, we can

:19:56. > :19:59.put a few things together and be more consistent in our attack. Our

:20:00. > :20:03.defence was good last week, but we can improve. What sort of challenge

:20:04. > :20:12.do you expect from Salford? They have a great season but are in a

:20:13. > :20:17.poor run of form. Yeah, but they have talent. They are obviously

:20:18. > :20:25.earmarking this game to get back on track, and we need to be ready for

:20:26. > :20:33.that. How close was Robert Lui and how big loss was he? He was really

:20:34. > :20:37.sore, so we had a discussion and felt it was an invite to go with

:20:38. > :20:41.somebody who was fully fit to play the game. But he has been

:20:42. > :20:48.influential force all season, but we have players who can stand up and be

:20:49. > :20:53.counted. You have an exciting new addition in Vatuvei. Yeah, he is a

:20:54. > :21:01.big one with the leadership he gives us. His experience will be what we

:21:02. > :21:07.have been lacking. What it with the transformation at Salford? Last

:21:08. > :21:11.year, you were battling and now you are in the cup semifinal. The boys

:21:12. > :21:16.want to be successful. And we will be if we continue in the same vein

:21:17. > :21:21.as we are doing. It is about making sure we have a belief in ourselves.

:21:22. > :21:26.How do you beat Wigan? They have threats all of the field and we have

:21:27. > :21:31.to pose are and threats. Let them worry about us. Jon, take us through

:21:32. > :22:36.the Salford line-up. Robbie is down among the big guys.

:22:37. > :22:41.He has Salford's game plan. When we think about the Red Devils, what I

:22:42. > :22:44.have from an X Factor point of view is that they have real power, and

:22:45. > :22:49.none more so than the man of the moment, one of the most high profile

:22:50. > :22:52.players in the sport, Manu Vatuvei, just bought from the New Zealand

:22:53. > :23:02.Warriors a week and a half ago. But he has arrived with six. He will

:23:03. > :23:06.shatter defensive lines. Alongside him is the blond headed south sea

:23:07. > :23:17.island, junior Sa'u, another power player. Another guy to keep your eye

:23:18. > :23:25.on is this guy, Murdoch-Masila. He is a tough character when he has the

:23:26. > :23:32.ball in hand. He is also a tough person to tackle and generally

:23:33. > :23:37.scores tries for fun. Michael Dobson will be task with the job of leading

:23:38. > :23:43.around the field, but Todd Carney has the X Factor and I want to have

:23:44. > :23:49.a quick conversation with you. How great for you. You have been a New

:23:50. > :23:56.Zealand International. How great experience a Wembley final? It is

:23:57. > :24:02.great occasion. We are 80 minutes away from the big one in Wembley. It

:24:03. > :24:10.is what dreams are made of. We want to play some good footy. These

:24:11. > :24:17.amazing supporters, how important is it to them? Last year, it was the

:24:18. > :24:23.same thing. It is going to be it for us and if we get the win, it will be

:24:24. > :24:28.for the fans too. Yeah, Salford fans are definitely very much up for

:24:29. > :24:34.this. Much of the build-up talk has been about the beast, Manu Vatuvei.

:24:35. > :24:39.What does he bring to this? There are two sides to him. He is an

:24:40. > :24:43.explosive finish, but he is also a player who can make mistakes when

:24:44. > :24:51.under pressure. It is a gamble for me for Salford to play him. We can

:24:52. > :24:56.see his quality here, carrying the ball. But it is the flip side of his

:24:57. > :25:10.game that worries me. When I watch Manu Vatuvei, I think of the past.

:25:11. > :25:13.We want to kick the ball to him in uncomfortable positions and it will

:25:14. > :25:26.be interesting to see how he deals with that. He has not played all

:25:27. > :25:32.year. It is a massive risk. He is a big game player, though. Dobson must

:25:33. > :25:42.be thanking his lucky stars he has Junior Sa'u, Vatuvei and Jones. And

:25:43. > :25:53.Tyrone McCarthy? He does all the tidy things. Tyrone McCarthy has

:25:54. > :25:57.been brought in to be really tidy. There are some great players on the

:25:58. > :26:17.Salford side. Murdoch-Masila is one of them. He is a powerful runner. He

:26:18. > :26:24.can get one-on-one with defenders. He has pure strength. When you are

:26:25. > :26:28.defending at three in, when you have a man that big and fast running at

:26:29. > :26:32.you and changing his line that quickly, it is very hard to deal

:26:33. > :26:42.with. What we see here is the influence of that line-up on

:26:43. > :26:46.defences. Yeah, there is a collateral benefit around every

:26:47. > :26:49.player around Murdoch-Masila. He attracts attention. Therefore, you

:26:50. > :27:00.get more space around the back of him. He wants the ball, he wants

:27:01. > :27:04.conflict. You can watch that clip all week in the video room and you

:27:05. > :27:18.will see him do that a few times. That is a difficult player to stop.

:27:19. > :27:27.That is the key battle. Willie Isa could neutralise him. We have to

:27:28. > :27:35.shut you up, because they actually want to come and play! Less join the

:27:36. > :27:41.commentary box and the BBC's rugby league correspondent Dave Woods.

:27:42. > :27:47.Sean O'Loughlin and his opposite number Michael Dobson. It will be a

:27:48. > :27:53.great noise when they come out. There has been a rattling noise

:27:54. > :28:01.inside this stadium for an hour already in anticipation of this. And

:28:02. > :28:07.here they come. Wigan against Salford, great expectations against

:28:08. > :28:12.the tales of the unexpected. Wigan are one of English rugby league's

:28:13. > :28:17.classic stories, 19 times cup winners. But can Salford today

:28:18. > :28:24.producing memorable twist in that tale, aiming for their first

:28:25. > :28:32.Challenge Cup final since 1969? The last time they were in a semifinal

:28:33. > :28:37.was 1998. They have their hearts broken by Sheffield vehicles, who

:28:38. > :28:41.went on to break the hearts of Wigan in the final in one of the most

:28:42. > :28:48.memorable Challenge Cup finals of all time. And we already know that

:28:49. > :29:00.Hull are the. So who is going to join them? Iain Watson on the right.

:29:01. > :29:07.Sam Tomkins is looking reasonably relaxed and comfortable. So let's

:29:08. > :29:30.remind ourselves of how they are lining up.

:29:31. > :29:37.Salford are missing Robert Lui, but replacing him is Carney, the Aussie

:29:38. > :29:49.international with undoubted superstar quality.

:29:50. > :30:13.The Beast has arrived, but with what kind of impact? Here we go. The

:30:14. > :30:20.match underway. Wigan, first touch of the ball. Instantly, looking for

:30:21. > :30:23.one of their big men in Nu'uausala. Look at that from the Salford

:30:24. > :30:30.defence straightaway. Matching them up front and pushing them backwards.

:30:31. > :30:38.The Salford fans at the end Wigan are defending are in roaring good

:30:39. > :30:42.mood. What a start for Salford's defensive attitude from the

:30:43. > :30:49.beginning. I was about to say, I hope this game is as good as

:30:50. > :30:58.yesterday. It started well. The Salford men straight into Wigan.

:30:59. > :31:07.Wigan tried to move the ball birth. Not what you expect. What a start

:31:08. > :31:20.for Salford. They moved it back into the big man.

:31:21. > :31:36.Here comes Salford, first attack of the afternoon for them. Junior Sa'u.

:31:37. > :31:55.Logan Tomkins. Salford, less than five away. Tackles in the bag. Ten

:31:56. > :32:04.yards out. Twist and turn from Weller Hauraki. Last play, the

:32:05. > :32:09.defence comes out quickly. The ball is put in but Sam Tomkins is able to

:32:10. > :32:15.pick it up and Wigan will be very, very pleased with the end result.

:32:16. > :32:23.Well defended, Wigan. First test of the afternoon. Today is as much

:32:24. > :32:28.about holding your nerve. In the pre-match build-up, they asked if

:32:29. > :32:33.Salford would choke with the inexperience. But they have four or

:32:34. > :32:43.five internationals. But the experience is on this Wigan side.

:32:44. > :32:46.Yes, the volatility of performance shouldn't be there but strange

:32:47. > :33:10.things happen in big games. Getting away with it quickly.

:33:11. > :33:26.Anthony Geller Inc with a wonderful pass. Tom Davies with the finish. No

:33:27. > :33:30.try from the video referee. Looking to the corner to make sure he stays

:33:31. > :33:42.in the field of play and doesn't go into touch when he's grounding the

:33:43. > :33:47.ball. He is in the field of play. Pause it there. I don't need to see

:33:48. > :33:59.any more. His thought is on the touchline so it is no try. It will

:34:00. > :34:10.be a scrum. Salford ball. First bit of pressure. Anthony Gelling has the

:34:11. > :34:20.ball in one hand. Tough position for a winger to be in. He had to stop

:34:21. > :34:36.the ball. Full credit to Anthony Gelling because that is a superb

:34:37. > :34:42.centre play. He has dropped it. Getting high-fives from his

:34:43. > :34:51.team-mates. Defensive scrutiny. Drop the ball and got some claret around

:34:52. > :35:00.the face as well. The phrase, rucks and diamonds has followed him

:35:01. > :35:04.throughout his career, Manu Vatuvei. On that try that wasn't given, Wigan

:35:05. > :35:14.scored an identical try like that against Leeds last week. Anthony

:35:15. > :35:21.Gelling is a handful. He is big so gets his arms free the majority of

:35:22. > :35:27.the times. He can find the off-loads. It is hard to be

:35:28. > :35:35.critical. The most critters as you can put on him is he didn't stop the

:35:36. > :35:41.ball. He will always be a threat. When somebody can do that and repeat

:35:42. > :35:46.the process, Calum Watkins, Mike Perceval and Anthony Gelling, makes

:35:47. > :35:59.them a real asset in the game. Here comes Williams.

:36:00. > :36:11.Willie Isa is backing in. Michael Mcllorum, three to his left, but

:36:12. > :36:17.they are set up to his right. There is Davis. Forward pass. Called it

:36:18. > :36:25.early, the referee. Tom Davies might have been on a hat-trick, instead he

:36:26. > :36:30.hasn't got any tries so far. Might be a question over the Salford team

:36:31. > :36:33.today, I think they will score points, it is whether they can

:36:34. > :36:41.handle this kind of play from Wigan. Josh Jones's back row has got to do

:36:42. > :36:48.a huge job. He has got to help Michael Dobson and Junior Sa'u. That

:36:49. > :37:06.should be tried there from Wigan. Manu Vatuvei, they were waiting for

:37:07. > :37:14.him. He will be back for a little bit more. Kris Welham has faded in

:37:15. > :37:26.the Challenge Cup final for Hull Kingston Rovers a few years ago.

:37:27. > :37:32.Craig Kopczak, the Welsh international. Logan Tomkins, Todd

:37:33. > :37:41.Carney to his right hand side. It is a pass to Greg Johnson. Searching

:37:42. > :37:45.for a bit of space down the middle. Todd Carney is happy to put the ball

:37:46. > :37:51.out of play and they have put a Wigan back inside their own 20. The

:37:52. > :37:59.Salford, the combination between Michael Dobson and Todd Carney, Rob

:38:00. > :38:04.Lui plays that role much better. Dobson wants his hands on the ball

:38:05. > :38:10.so satisfying their needs within the Salford game plan will be important.

:38:11. > :38:16.Couple of smart touches from Todd Carney. He is instinctively the

:38:17. > :38:20.first receiver and it is a challenge for him to play second fiddle. Just

:38:21. > :38:21.to reinforce back, they're both kicked the ball very well. That will

:38:22. > :38:37.be important. Salford have hammered away at the

:38:38. > :39:26.Wigan line. Michael Mcllorum going out again.

:39:27. > :39:33.Oliver Gildart, stylish centre. Salford defending back on their own

:39:34. > :39:41.line at the moment. They have one play left, Wigan. Williams carries

:39:42. > :39:50.it and they have got the numbers. Oliver Gildart is over! Oliver

:39:51. > :39:57.Gildart claims the first try of the afternoon. Wigan finally get over

:39:58. > :40:04.the line legitimately. This is a trifle George Williams, even though

:40:05. > :40:11.it is Oliver Gildart that goes over. Williams strips the Salford defence.

:40:12. > :40:19.They were expecting a kick. This is the penalty that gave Wigan the

:40:20. > :40:26.field position. Good ball set from Wigan and be tested Salford. They

:40:27. > :40:32.were expecting a kick. The Wigan in the centre was waiting for the kick

:40:33. > :40:38.behind. It never came and as a result, Willie Isa found space and

:40:39. > :40:49.Oliver Gildart found space and it is a try for Wigan. Wigan have had the

:40:50. > :40:55.best of the opening exchanges here. This has been a weak link in Wigan's

:40:56. > :41:02.armoury this year. Not been as good as it can be all of the time.

:41:03. > :41:06.Commentator's curse. Williams shows no problems in putting bat over.

:41:07. > :41:14.There have been days when he has been absolutely spot on. It is hard

:41:15. > :41:40.to defend. Oliver Gildart went on loan to

:41:41. > :41:46.Salford. As part of his breakthrough into senior rugby league. He looks a

:41:47. > :41:49.real star in the handful of games he played there and I think he's got

:41:50. > :41:59.his first try at Salford as well. Today he scores against them.

:42:00. > :42:04.Nu'uausala, isn't going to miss. Frank-Paul Nuuausala our love. They

:42:05. > :42:17.have nibbled away inside the Salford half, but they are on the last. They

:42:18. > :42:23.have crossed the line. It is an effective kick plan. Hull did it

:42:24. > :42:40.yesterday. Tom Briscoe is a running threat, kick it in the air to him.

:42:41. > :42:55.He is like a snorting bowl manner that about, when he gets going. --

:42:56. > :43:09.Manu Vatuvei. The red button forum after we have

:43:10. > :43:20.finished here. As we always remind you. The 26th of August, Challenge

:43:21. > :43:24.Cup final. Here is Sam Tomkins making the break. Looked on the

:43:25. > :43:34.inside. I think Davies was claiming he was hampered. The referee says

:43:35. > :43:38.play on. Look at Wigan again, putting the fear of life into

:43:39. > :43:45.Salford's defence and they hang onto long and it is a penalty in front of

:43:46. > :43:49.the sticks. They would be tempted to play on, they are rucking here

:43:50. > :43:57.Salford. It is all too quick for Salford, they wanted to defend.

:43:58. > :44:02.Michael Mcllorum is having an influence on this game. The ruck is

:44:03. > :44:09.too quick and unorganised. Sam Tomkins is all over that sort of

:44:10. > :44:14.stuff and then recede John Bateman carrying on. Metres of speed from

:44:15. > :44:27.this Wigan side. George Williams, sign the new deal

:44:28. > :44:39.at Wigan a couple of months ago. Adds another two.

:44:40. > :44:49.They are winning the ruck, Wigan. The defence can't organise and there

:44:50. > :44:57.are running opportunities in and around the ruck. Apart from the

:44:58. > :45:08.opening set of six, most of the game has been played inside or close to

:45:09. > :45:11.the Salford half. You can see the amount of possession Wigan have had.

:45:12. > :45:24.And where they have had it, as well. Williams, leaves it to Joe Burgess,

:45:25. > :45:32.who is on the gallop again. Salford needing to stem the flow. Williams,

:45:33. > :45:40.again. Loses his shorts, but not his balance. Inside for Tamme Tomkins.

:45:41. > :45:48.Craig Kopczak is clutching at the ball. It is a gift and Salford needs

:45:49. > :45:49.back give. They need to breed. They need the first aid is out there,

:45:50. > :46:11.with some oxygen. -- breathe. Logan Tomkins and here comes Junior

:46:12. > :46:16.Sa'u. Logan Tomkins. Todd Carney. Johnson has to stand and wait for

:46:17. > :46:25.the ball to hit him in the chest. Just less than 40 away. Dobson.

:46:26. > :46:34.Michael Mcllorum. He is not going to let go. Todd Carney, get a kick of

:46:35. > :46:37.sorts away. But it is taken on by Tom Davies. The advancing Salford

:46:38. > :46:44.defence, not quite doing their job as efficiently as they would have

:46:45. > :46:48.liked. Little bit scruffy. They haven't had the ball. Wigan gave it

:46:49. > :46:55.to them with the break from Sam Tomkins. Dobson was caught by a

:46:56. > :47:02.fabulous tackle by Michael McIlorum. Couldn't play the kick he wanted.

:47:03. > :47:09.John Bateman. Todd Carney, can't keep old. Look at John Bateman go.

:47:10. > :47:11.There is an essence to Salford's body language at the moment which

:47:12. > :47:36.suggests fatigue. Concession of the drop out.

:47:37. > :47:41.Exceptional five or ten minutes from Wigan. They have played with speed

:47:42. > :47:46.with the ball. Loads of dummy half running. Then to build pressure with

:47:47. > :47:56.a kick like that at the end of a sat. Rugby is a commodity in rugby

:47:57. > :48:00.league, you can't get it back. Salford have spoken about the motion

:48:01. > :48:05.of the occasion, the fact they are in the semifinal. That burns energy

:48:06. > :48:08.at the start. Salford need to roll their sleeves up, dig their way out

:48:09. > :48:38.of this one. Williams with a quick pass. Willie

:48:39. > :48:41.Isa steps away. There is no point in chasing, Willie Isa has already

:48:42. > :48:51.found his way over the line. Wigan's 's second try and boy, are they

:48:52. > :48:56.already bossing the semifinal? Wigan look sharp and incisive. The quality

:48:57. > :49:04.of their passing and skills is the reason why they created that space.

:49:05. > :49:13.This is a classic drive from Wigan. They play flat and square and they

:49:14. > :49:16.put the tired defenders Ben Murdoch-Masila has a decision to

:49:17. > :49:29.make gamblers play. The hard work was done. Repeat set from Wigan.

:49:30. > :49:34.Little bit of pressure changes things, but sustained pressure

:49:35. > :49:41.kills. The past is to Willie Isa, he couldn't believe he was in as much

:49:42. > :49:45.space as he was. I think Todd Carney has got in front of the line trying

:49:46. > :49:56.to solve a problem that wasn't there yet. The position of skill and

:49:57. > :50:07.passing from Wigan. Williams with the kick. Knocks it wide this time.

:50:08. > :50:10.Discipline and game management is important for the Red Devils now.

:50:11. > :50:20.They have been giving away penalties.

:50:21. > :50:29.Willie Isa, potential Wembley day for him. He has already had one

:50:30. > :50:50.Wembley day with his girlfriend, plays for the Liverpool ladies.

:50:51. > :51:05.McIlorum at speed again. Picks up from dummy half.

:51:06. > :51:16.Where is it going? Up in the air in the general direction of the beast.

:51:17. > :51:21.Here he is. Catches it cleanly and that is when he is a bit of a

:51:22. > :51:22.handful. The kick was a bit too deep. The chasing pack couldn't get

:51:23. > :51:46.there. Logan Tomkins. You have got to hold

:51:47. > :51:52.your nerve with this aggressive Wigan defence. They need this,

:51:53. > :51:56.Salford. Give them a chance to collect their thoughts, get into the

:51:57. > :51:59.game and get a feel position here. Generally got to hold John Earp with

:52:00. > :52:14.Wigan. Pretty methodical at the moment. This is an opportunity now.

:52:15. > :52:27.Get some oxygen in their lungs. Here comes Dobson.

:52:28. > :52:32.Manu Vatuvei, taking it in. Logan Tomkins back towards Dobson again.

:52:33. > :52:50.Todd Carney Get Involved. Untidy, but back it comes. Dobson

:52:51. > :53:00.again. Twist and a turn. George Griffin on the. Last play. Last play

:53:01. > :53:07.of the sat. Salford desperate for something and be will try for dummy

:53:08. > :53:14.half. Maybe a little too slow. Wigan's defence got down and Wigan

:53:15. > :53:24.have it back on their own line. He should have gone. That was poor. In

:53:25. > :53:27.the clips before the game we showed Salford burning on the right-hand

:53:28. > :53:35.side. In this situation, they tried it. Three or four men hit him and

:53:36. > :53:41.those players, you have got to catch teams having a bad day defensively

:53:42. > :53:56.and Wigan have the intent to defend those plays really well. Sam Powell

:53:57. > :54:01.is on the field for Wigan. Operating out of dummy half. Whipped across

:54:02. > :54:09.the line. This is so far, so good from Salford's defence. Here comes

:54:10. > :54:14.Oliver Gildart. Grabbing a few extra yards. Not a bad set from Salford,

:54:15. > :54:26.restricting Wigan. Williams finds the gap. Changes his mind. This cake

:54:27. > :54:31.might be aiming towards the 40, 20. Manu Vatuvei, he will have another

:54:32. > :54:46.go. It takes two of them to finally stop him in his truck.

:54:47. > :54:55.The referee has moved it another ten yards downfield. You can't say

:54:56. > :55:01.anything, keep your mouth shut. Couple of penalties will let Salford

:55:02. > :55:11.breathe. This is an opportunity for Salford to get a fold in the game.

:55:12. > :55:23.They look more energised and refreshed from just having the ball

:55:24. > :55:28.for a period of time. George Griffin, the potential of being up

:55:29. > :55:29.against his brother, Josh. Playing for Hull, started the game

:55:30. > :55:45.yesterday. Josh Jones... Almost finding a route

:55:46. > :56:00.through those Wigan defenders. Gets another penalty. Six tackles. I

:56:01. > :56:11.think this is where we will see their prowess.

:56:12. > :56:19.And it is Greg Johnson on the right wing that will score in the corner.

:56:20. > :56:26.Get Salford on the board and get Salford motoring in this semifinal.

:56:27. > :56:31.That is the power of Ben Murdoch-Masila. Not usually affected

:56:32. > :56:35.with the ball and hasn't had a lot of of possession. But how

:56:36. > :56:42.aggressively he runs at the third defender. Makes these kinds of play

:56:43. > :56:45.is very effective. Penalty here. The last five minutes, a few penalties

:56:46. > :56:51.have allowed Salford to get back into this game. It has given them

:56:52. > :56:58.the energy to breathe. This is where they have been good all year. They

:56:59. > :57:05.restrict the Wigan numbers. Dobson did a great job. Stopped the Wigan

:57:06. > :57:12.defence and it was almost the two man overlap at the end. Ben

:57:13. > :57:25.Murdoch-Masila, huge asset for Salford. Michael Dobson, himself

:57:26. > :57:32.spends a year at Wigan about ten, 11 years ago. Looking to narrow the gap

:57:33. > :57:42.to just one score. Difficult kick from the touchline. Measured that

:57:43. > :57:48.really well. 12/6 and there are 16 minutes of the half remaining. Three

:57:49. > :57:52.penalties on the bounce and then we see the scale of Dobson and Todd

:57:53. > :57:58.Carney going at the line. They execute really well. Sustained

:57:59. > :58:02.pressure from Salford and they created the opportunity and be back

:58:03. > :58:09.in this game. They have had the worst of it, they looked flat ten

:58:10. > :58:13.minutes ago. But they are back in this Challenge Cup semifinal. They

:58:14. > :58:29.will have to do it again. Scooping it high, Joe Burgess. Look

:58:30. > :58:34.at the spin as it comes down. Johnson has a bit of space in which

:58:35. > :58:40.to run. Watch him go. Dobson was trying to get up with him. Tomkins

:58:41. > :58:46.makes a good tackle but Salford are off again. Dobson collect. Jones do

:58:47. > :58:56.his life but two tackles have taken Salford less than 30 away from

:58:57. > :59:02.Wigan's line again. 20 metres away. Logan Tomkins. Waiting for this

:59:03. > :59:14.play. Todd Carney... Here is Ben Murdoch-Masila. Todd Carney. Back to

:59:15. > :59:22.Dobson. I think they got there. I think they have got that. Junior

:59:23. > :59:27.Sa'u is certain he got there. Tyrone McCarthy, wasn't far away either.

:59:28. > :59:34.The referee will ask the question. Is this back-to-back tries? Has he

:59:35. > :59:45.given a decision on the field, what he thinks it is? I need to check

:59:46. > :59:49.from the kick to make sure the players are onside, first of all. We

:59:50. > :59:57.have a player who is in front of the kicker. We have two players, one to

:59:58. > :00:05.the right. We have to make sure he is ten away. He doesn't get involved

:00:06. > :00:10.in that. Can we go back then now. I have ruled that player is out of

:00:11. > :00:25.play, so he's not interfering. I need the grounding. Slow this down.

:00:26. > :00:36.Who's left hand is that? I have got to make sure. I need to make sure

:00:37. > :00:49.that as a Salford hand and not the hand of Thomas Leuluai. It looks

:00:50. > :00:54.like it is grounded. If we just take it back, it is not Leuluai's hand.

:00:55. > :01:07.That looks to be the Salford man's left-hand. Do we have another angle

:01:08. > :01:09.on this? Slow it down. That is the Salford man's hand, and much

:01:10. > :01:32.evidence I'm going to go with a try. It is still a try. That's a try.

:01:33. > :01:37.Well, we were talking in the build-up about Manu Vatuvei and

:01:38. > :01:41.whether he could make a difference. It's the other debutant, Tyrone

:01:42. > :01:49.McCarthy. Virtually his first act as a Salford player, and he scores a

:01:50. > :01:54.huge try in this semifinal that in a moment or so could see Salford back

:01:55. > :01:59.level again. What a way to start! There's a crowd you. -- there's a

:02:00. > :02:19.crowd pleaser for you. The stadium is full of fervour, and

:02:20. > :02:26.the Salford fans are providing the enthusiasm at the moment. Great

:02:27. > :02:31.piece of play. Great touch from Dobson. Wigan were not expecting the

:02:32. > :02:56.kick. The Wigan fans are happy. Tyrone McCarthy already has a story.

:02:57. > :03:04.He played in 2015 in the Challenge Cup final. But the big story was in

:03:05. > :03:10.2009, when he had only his third first-team appearance and picked up

:03:11. > :03:23.a winner's medal. But here he is, very much a star for Salford. From

:03:24. > :03:27.the last kick off, they didn't have an organised defensive line, and

:03:28. > :03:35.Johnson was gone. A bit of an injury here on somebody. But great tackle

:03:36. > :03:39.from Sam Tomkins. All these great bits of rugby league football were

:03:40. > :03:43.taking place before the special play we saw. The key to Salford getting

:03:44. > :03:55.back into this game is purely having the ball in hand. That was the third

:03:56. > :04:00.man coming into the tackle to pull the bigger men to the ground. The

:04:01. > :04:06.Salford fans are not happy with that. But it looks relatively

:04:07. > :04:09.innocuous. Salford have got the ball back in hand, and that has been

:04:10. > :04:15.crucial for them. All year, they have been exceptional with the ball

:04:16. > :04:20.in hand. They need to keep them all away from which as much as possible.

:04:21. > :04:27.There has been an element of ill discipline from Wigan. They were

:04:28. > :04:36.talking to the referee. Before they got those penalties, Wigan's energy

:04:37. > :04:42.was gone. It shows how you can change the flow of a game. Energy

:04:43. > :04:46.comes and goes, and when you are playing in these big games, you just

:04:47. > :04:49.have to find your energy from somewhere. Salford have found that

:04:50. > :04:52.through ill discipline and once you have got that energy, it's such a

:04:53. > :05:03.precious resource. You have got to keep hold of it. Salford, at the end

:05:04. > :05:25.of the field, are pretty disciplined. The challenge is for

:05:26. > :05:34.Salford to defend. Well, it here. -- it is not looking good for that

:05:35. > :05:37.player. A decision has to be made. In the game, you have got to be

:05:38. > :05:58.careful. Great start by Wigan. Fantastic

:05:59. > :06:04.response by Salford. It is a 40-20 attempt, and he's nailed it. Tom

:06:05. > :06:15.Carney nails it. Suddenly, his star is rising full.

:06:16. > :06:19.From being 12-0 up, Wigan have not touched the ball, and they are in

:06:20. > :07:19.danger of conceding again here. Good from Salford here. They are

:07:20. > :07:27.being patient. They are finding short kicks. They have got some

:07:28. > :07:45.units out there. That was desperate defence from Wigan. Two great short

:07:46. > :07:46.kicks. A massive play in a big game. That is what Todd Carney is in the

:07:47. > :08:35.team for. Oh! Tyrone McCarthy. I don't think

:08:36. > :08:44.he was as confident this time. No try. REFEREE: from the kick, we need

:08:45. > :08:57.to make sure a player is on site. So pause it on the foot. Everybody

:08:58. > :09:00.is onside there, so I am happy to play from there. No try on the

:09:01. > :09:19.field. Definitely lost the ball. Does

:09:20. > :09:24.Tompkins interfere with him? Can we just go through to this? They can

:09:25. > :09:30.run shoulder by shoulder. That's fine. Tompkins can't grab hold of

:09:31. > :09:36.him. He's got contact with him beforehand. Can I have a look at the

:09:37. > :09:43.angle before, please? Tompkins may interfere with him first. He can't

:09:44. > :09:48.grab hold of him like that. That is going to be no try, James. And it is

:09:49. > :10:04.going to be a Salford, ten metres out. Way to do this. So one side is

:10:05. > :10:12.not happy and the other side is. But when the referee does this, it all

:10:13. > :10:19.changes the emotions. And Sam Tomkins is sin-binned. What?!

:10:20. > :10:29.Tomkins is off for the next ten minutes. Professional foul. That was

:10:30. > :10:33.the decision. I thought that was harsh. Tomkins has to compete for

:10:34. > :10:40.the ball. That is a natural part of the game. That said, once he has

:10:41. > :10:48.given it as a professional foul, he has tried to pull it back. If

:10:49. > :10:53.McCarthy catches the ball, he has to tackle him. That is a harsh decision

:10:54. > :11:01.for me. Anyway, let's get on with the game. Dobson puts it over. In

:11:02. > :11:05.the last seven minutes, Wigan haven't touched the ball. They have

:11:06. > :11:11.conceded two tries. They have lost the lead and they have lost a

:11:12. > :11:18.Tomkins. It has not gone well. Thou are having a bad seven minutes!

:11:19. > :11:31.I would like to see that at normal speed. It's disappointing. Even a

:11:32. > :11:35.penalty, maybe. But he catches the ball, McCarthy. He has got every

:11:36. > :11:41.right to grab hold of him and keep the ball lots to his body. It's done

:11:42. > :11:52.now. The next job for Wigan is to defend.

:11:53. > :12:09.And we know Wigan will respond, because we have seen what they are

:12:10. > :12:23.capable of. Full credit to Salford's attitude and pedigree. Penalty for

:12:24. > :12:28.Salford again. Credit to Salford here. They are really making Wigan

:12:29. > :12:31.be accountable with the defence. They are testing Wigan, moving the

:12:32. > :12:40.ball. They are really challenging Wigan to defend well. There was

:12:41. > :12:41.nothing aggressive about this. That came from Salford challenging Wigan

:12:42. > :12:58.to do the right things defensively. There is a salutary lesson in this

:12:59. > :13:02.for Wigan. Don't give Salford the ball for nothing. They have given

:13:03. > :13:06.the ball too easily in the last nine minutes. To use a snooker analogy,

:13:07. > :13:11.it's like missing a red and then sitting back in the chair for 20

:13:12. > :13:13.minutes while your opponent pots everything on the table. Wigan have

:13:14. > :13:30.been starved of possession. Behind it goes to the man of the

:13:31. > :13:31.moment, Tyrone McCarthy. Kick it in his direction, and anything can

:13:32. > :13:54.happen. Wigan's best player of the nine

:13:55. > :14:00.minutes. Full credit to Salford. They have been given a leg up, and

:14:01. > :14:03.they have taken it. Absolutely. They have maximised the damage they have

:14:04. > :14:14.caught this Wigan side to being clinical the ball. The territory and

:14:15. > :14:30.possession have completely flipped in Salford's favour.

:14:31. > :14:46.Wigan will relish having the ball in their hands. They are a man down, of

:14:47. > :14:48.course. That is what the ball gives you, energy to defend like that.

:14:49. > :15:04.Look at Salford now. The Tomkins family is still well

:15:05. > :15:21.represented out there, two thirds of them.

:15:22. > :15:30.Good chase by Wigan. John Bateman is a thoroughbred when it comes to

:15:31. > :15:57.attitude. Carney and Dobson have certainly got

:15:58. > :15:58.their act together. A lot of the success Salford has had has been

:15:59. > :16:19.through those two. That kick was well taken. There have

:16:20. > :16:30.been loads of talking points already in this game, but if you want your

:16:31. > :16:39.say, join us on the red button. Or get in touch via Twitter and other

:16:40. > :16:44.social media. And it's a winner. Penalty winner. A chance to put

:16:45. > :17:00.themselves inside their opponents' half. They are having a direct

:17:01. > :17:05.influence on this game, penalties. We saw in yesterday's tied us how

:17:06. > :17:13.important scores before the break can be. And how much of a lift it

:17:14. > :17:42.would give Wigan if they could push themselves back ahead.

:17:43. > :18:03.Still two or three tackles to come here.

:18:04. > :18:18.The Wigan chaser was offside. So the penalty goes Salford's way. Burgess

:18:19. > :18:26.has got in front of Williams. It is the little things. Big momentum

:18:27. > :19:07.change. The referee says play on. The

:19:08. > :19:26.referee says another six tackles. That is a penalty. Too much

:19:27. > :19:51.wrestling going on for McCarthy after the tackle was complete.

:19:52. > :20:01.So five tackles from here. Our Wigan poised to strike? One part of their

:20:02. > :20:05.armoury is missing, which Tomkins on the sideline at the moment in the

:20:06. > :20:41.sin-bin, but plenty more weapons out there. Williams could be pivotal.

:20:42. > :21:07.Williams can't keep hold. And in the end, it is defused.

:21:08. > :21:25.Salford are happy defending their own line. Tyrone McCarthy, just

:21:26. > :21:28.having a word with the referee to get as much time as possible for his

:21:29. > :21:33.team-mates to get a bit of oxygen back in their lungs ahead of this

:21:34. > :21:54.next 38 seconds of defence, all things being equal. This will be a

:21:55. > :22:08.test. That's a great kick from Williams. That might be it. Wigan

:22:09. > :22:14.want to stop the clock. Watching the replay, the referee has stopped the

:22:15. > :22:24.clock with one second to go. A one player wonder. Have you got a scrum

:22:25. > :22:37.player up your sleeve for moments like this? My guess is that they are

:22:38. > :22:47.going to go down the blindside here. But it's only a guess. They are

:22:48. > :22:53.going down the blindside. Out of play on the far side. What they

:22:54. > :22:58.first half. A curate's egg of a first half. Terrific stuff from both

:22:59. > :23:04.sides, and a story still to be told. Let's hear from Sean O'Loughlin.

:23:05. > :23:08.Sean, how have Salford got back into the game after a great start by your

:23:09. > :23:12.players? I thought Salford had a great start, and we got back and

:23:13. > :23:19.then they got on top of us. We have done well to hang on. Michael

:23:20. > :23:26.Dobson, the Salford skipper, is with us. Terrific stuff from Salford, and

:23:27. > :23:31.you got back in it. Yeah, we came back and absorbed their pressure. We

:23:32. > :23:36.will have to do the same in the second half. What is going to win it

:23:37. > :23:39.for you in the second half? More of the same, defence. Just absorb the

:23:40. > :23:46.pressure they throw at us and come out on top. Good luck.

:23:47. > :23:50.STUDIO: Well, I know it's a cliche, but that was a half of two halves!

:23:51. > :23:55.Wigan started exceptionally well. They worked the ball quickly, put

:23:56. > :23:58.Salford under pressure. That said, Salford hung in there. If you

:23:59. > :24:08.penalties, a few great kicks and then they came right back in. What a

:24:09. > :24:17.great game. They are aggressive off the line. They are really punching

:24:18. > :24:22.hard against each other. I thought Todd Carney's kicking game made a

:24:23. > :24:30.massive difference. And you can see Wigan's experience from the first 20

:24:31. > :24:37.minutes. They were just focused on their game plan and how to win.

:24:38. > :24:41.Let's have a look at the action. Salford did start like a house on

:24:42. > :24:47.fire, but after a couple of attempts, Wigan scored first. It's a

:24:48. > :25:01.fantastic play here. Williams does a great job.

:25:02. > :25:17.It is a simple play. I thought this was a smart piece of execution from

:25:18. > :25:20.Wigan. Anywhere you look here as well, Todd Carney is trying to make

:25:21. > :25:36.up for the error he just made defensively. That is Wigan at their

:25:37. > :25:40.best. At that point, you two were saying Salford were out for the

:25:41. > :25:47.count. How do they get back in a? Energy is a strange thing. They find

:25:48. > :25:51.their rhythm and get a score, and then you are not tired any more. It

:25:52. > :26:00.is not about fitness, it is about how the game is flowing. You could

:26:01. > :26:02.see them creating the space we were talking about earlier. Carney and

:26:03. > :26:08.Dobson became more influential within the game as Salford got more

:26:09. > :26:12.ball. There are not renowned as defenders. Exactly. They want to

:26:13. > :26:17.starve Wigan possession, and that was what they did. Against good

:26:18. > :26:21.teams, if you make mistakes, you might not see the ball against the

:26:22. > :26:25.20 minutes, and that was what happened for Wigan. A couple of

:26:26. > :26:29.penalties, great shot kick off Dobson, 20 minutes has gone and all

:26:30. > :26:39.of a sudden the game has completely changed. A lot of sides would have

:26:40. > :26:50.conceded. It is a semifinal, there is a lot at stake. How much does it

:26:51. > :26:59.matter? We can see that it matters. Salford found their rhythm. Field

:27:00. > :27:04.position is key to the game. Murdoch-Masila is going to carry

:27:05. > :27:11.four people. And you could see that try just lift them. It did. They got

:27:12. > :27:22.back tries, which is not what you like to see in rugby league. Once

:27:23. > :27:33.you have one, you want to defend it. Johnson is a powerful athlete. And a

:27:34. > :27:39.great tackle from Sam Tomkins. This was an outstanding kick from Dobson.

:27:40. > :27:47.It is a tough one for the video referee here. But Salford get it

:27:48. > :27:57.because they have got momentum. Do not give a side that chance. That is

:27:58. > :28:03.why although the kick-off was great, it was a short kick-off. I think,

:28:04. > :28:09.just pump that into the corner and the Wigan defence should have got

:28:10. > :28:17.that to Salford. But they didn't. It really change the momentum of the

:28:18. > :28:21.game. Lagat Ian Watson here. He will be really happy with the situation,

:28:22. > :28:28.because they have got themselves back in the game. He will be talking

:28:29. > :28:33.to field position. Do you think they have surprised Wigan with the way

:28:34. > :28:40.they came back? No, they are a good side. They are not in the top four

:28:41. > :28:45.for no reason. They have been consistently good. There is quality

:28:46. > :28:50.in that side and they have belief in what they are doing. We saw the best

:28:51. > :28:54.and worst of Salford. When they had the ball in hand, they really tested

:28:55. > :29:02.Wigan out. Wigan will be tired in the dressing room, because Salford

:29:03. > :29:05.have really challenged them. There have been a couple of controversial

:29:06. > :29:14.incidents. You have been getting in touch with us. The man in at the

:29:15. > :29:26.knees, instant yellow card, surely? Says one viewer. Looking at him now,

:29:27. > :29:32.he has hit him pretty low here. The referee has to send him off. I think

:29:33. > :29:39.they have sin-binned the wrong Sam. They should have done it to Sam

:29:40. > :29:45.Powell, not Sam Tomkins. For me, that is not a sending-off. Sam

:29:46. > :29:49.Tomkins got sin-binned. Some said if he has been sin-binned, surely it is

:29:50. > :29:55.a penalty try? I don't think you could guarantee that he was going to

:29:56. > :30:00.bring the ball down. He is well within his rights. I think at full

:30:01. > :30:06.speed, it is a competition to get to the ball. He has every right to

:30:07. > :30:15.compete for that ball. It was a poor decision.

:30:16. > :30:24.We have had a breathless first half, so much more sport to come on the

:30:25. > :30:30.BBC. Tonight, there is a special documentary as Michael Johnson meets

:30:31. > :30:34.the heroes of Super Saturday, probably the greatest night of

:30:35. > :30:39.British athletics. That will hopefully whet your appetite for

:30:40. > :30:54.this... London, are you ready?

:30:55. > :31:13.Damian has been talking to a very interesting spectator. The Salford

:31:14. > :31:17.owner has come to the touchline. I guess days like this, seasons like

:31:18. > :31:22.this are why you came into rugby league? I always wanted to be on the

:31:23. > :31:28.big stage. They don't come bigger than being in a semifinal against

:31:29. > :31:34.Wigan. Exciting first half. I guess you could say it is two halves of

:31:35. > :31:38.the first half of the game. Wigan dominated the first 20 minutes. We

:31:39. > :31:43.came back and we took the lead in the last 20 and we deserve to be

:31:44. > :31:48.there. It has been a fantastic season regardless of what happens

:31:49. > :31:53.today? Regardless. If someone said to me what is your ambition for the

:31:54. > :31:58.season, I would have said be competitive in the middle age. Now

:31:59. > :32:02.we are in the semifinal of the Challenge Cup but also to be in the

:32:03. > :32:08.top four of the Super League and the top North team. You brought a

:32:09. > :32:14.fantastic following, ab out 5000 have come from Salford. How do you

:32:15. > :32:20.get hold of them coming to home games? Hopefully performances like

:32:21. > :32:23.the first half. If we go and win the game, I am sure we will be taking

:32:24. > :32:31.something like 20,000 people down to Wembley. What will have to happen in

:32:32. > :32:35.the second half, to get over the line and get the trip to Wembley in

:32:36. > :32:42.August? That would be an absolute dream. It is the reward for how hard

:32:43. > :32:49.the players have worked, how hard in Watson has worked. The players and

:32:50. > :32:53.Ian Watson deserve the credit. I take no credit for it whatsoever. I

:32:54. > :32:58.am the guy who just pays the bills and that is all. The people who

:32:59. > :33:03.deserve the credit are Ian Watson and the players, regardless of what

:33:04. > :33:07.happens today in the second half. We have done a fantastic job, they have

:33:08. > :33:11.done a fantastic job and we will see what happens later on. The rain is

:33:12. > :33:20.coming down, we will let you get some shelter. Cheers, mate. Your

:33:21. > :33:27.eyebrows went up when he said they are top Northwest team, but they

:33:28. > :33:32.are? They are now. They have a huge task to get out and keep in front of

:33:33. > :33:36.this Wigan side. They have done a great job to be in this position.

:33:37. > :33:42.The big games are to come. Salford have got to show what they are all

:33:43. > :33:47.about. The second half will be the ability to defend penalties when

:33:48. > :33:53.they are given against you. You have to be in the fight to win it and

:33:54. > :33:58.Salford are in the fight. We might have the semifinals but the women

:33:59. > :34:07.have the Challenge Cup final as we speak, Bradford Bulls women against

:34:08. > :34:12.Featherstone Roby Rovers ladies. They are coming back to the second

:34:13. > :34:18.half so we will let John go back to the commentary box.

:34:19. > :34:21.We have had a proposal on the field at half-time, gentlemen popped the

:34:22. > :34:27.question to a lady who said yes. She was wearing a Salford shirt, so I am

:34:28. > :34:35.hoping she is very happy. Ryan Wilson wiped a tear from his

:34:36. > :34:39.eye about the romance of it all. What about the romance of the pitch.

:34:40. > :34:50.Sam Tomkins back out of the sin-bin and on the field. 13-13 in terms of

:34:51. > :34:55.players on the field. 14-12 in terms of points on the board. We saw once

:34:56. > :35:04.I come out in the second half and dominate yesterday. Hull were

:35:05. > :35:13.dominant. I don't think that will happen. I think it will be nip and

:35:14. > :35:18.tuck until the end. It is one of those clinging onto the edge of your

:35:19. > :35:24.seat semifinals, potentially. If you are attached to one of the other, it

:35:25. > :35:30.is going to be a very nervy 40 minutes because of the drama. What a

:35:31. > :35:39.day this man is having so far, Tyrone McCarthy, try scorer on his

:35:40. > :35:43.debut in a Challenge Cup semifinal. Ben Murdoch-Masila is going to cause

:35:44. > :35:54.problems in the second half as well. Dobson.

:35:55. > :36:09.Tomkins, out of dummy half. Dobson will kick on the sixth. Tomkins,

:36:10. > :36:22.first job is to catch it. Which he did. Junior Sa'u, makes the tackle.

:36:23. > :36:27.Sam Tomkins attempted a dummy play. I think Salford have been good in as

:36:28. > :36:30.part of the field, defensively and with the ball. They will be hoping

:36:31. > :36:35.to stay there and people like Dobson and Todd Carney can provide the

:36:36. > :36:48.kicking Arsenal. It is up to Arsenal to do what they did, try and win the

:36:49. > :36:55.ground. Joel Tomkins. Monks to the body is tackling him is little

:36:56. > :37:03.brother, Logan, who rolls away. Oliver Gildart will take it on. That

:37:04. > :37:11.is a great take from Nile Evalds. But his body on the line. Johnson

:37:12. > :37:19.did well to get that ball out of the tackle as well.

:37:20. > :37:35.Dobson will have to wear a crash helmet. Here he comes, Manu Vatuvei.

:37:36. > :37:53.There is the shoulder. If Wigan do get to the final it will be against

:37:54. > :38:11.Hull. Tomkins. Here he goes. Inside Burgess. Put the foot down. Look at

:38:12. > :38:17.the pace. He is flying and Nile Evalds cannot catch him. Burgess

:38:18. > :38:29.touches down. Did he lose it at the last moment? It looked like Nile

:38:30. > :38:37.Evalds got a hand on the ball. So he caught him. Video referee again. We

:38:38. > :38:48.will look at the grounding. He still has the ball in his possession. He

:38:49. > :38:56.still has. He still got the ball. Now, is the ball in his hand when it

:38:57. > :39:12.touches? He is short, it comes out there. It is short and the hand is

:39:13. > :39:18.on the ball. Move it forward. Can I have a look at the side angle again

:39:19. > :39:24.please, take it slowly. Frame by frame, the hand is on the ball. The

:39:25. > :39:30.ball is short, the hand is now off and the ball is still short. Is that

:39:31. > :39:41.hand totally off the ball? I cannot say conclusively it is. Slow again.

:39:42. > :39:46.Frame by frame. He keeps the ball going, it is not a double movement.

:39:47. > :40:00.Hand is off the ball. Do we have another angle on this, please? It is

:40:01. > :40:05.short. I need sufficient evidence to rule the hand is. I haven't got

:40:06. > :40:13.sufficient evidence to save the hand is of the ball will stop it you

:40:14. > :40:18.can't just do that one, see if it is any good. See if this can help me

:40:19. > :40:23.out. Again, I cannot see if the hand is of. So that angle is no good, it

:40:24. > :40:30.has got to be the first angle on the side. It has got to be. Super zoom

:40:31. > :40:42.it in, please, if you could. Slowed the side angle. I need sufficient

:40:43. > :40:49.evidence to overrule. Too fast. Slow it down now. Still in his hand.

:40:50. > :40:54.Still in his hand. Do this one again, does the hand come of the

:40:55. > :41:03.ball. Slow it down now. That hand there is. I am going to go no try.

:41:04. > :41:15.No try, James, the hand is off the ball on back shop there. Scrum.

:41:16. > :41:27.No try. Burgess denied by that last, desperate, desperate tackle from

:41:28. > :41:31.Niall Evalds. What a tackle. When Brian said nobody would catch on, I

:41:32. > :41:40.was agreeing with you. But what Che is back from Niall levels. Massive

:41:41. > :41:56.play in the context of the game. The referee thought it was a try.

:41:57. > :42:14.Manu Vatuvei, bringing it out. Salford surviving with the two point

:42:15. > :42:14.lead. Junior Sa'u. Tomkins. Salford hearts beating steadier, having

:42:15. > :42:38.survived that scare. Jones, looking for the off-load,

:42:39. > :42:44.finding it. Providing the energy and the platform. Dobson now will kick.

:42:45. > :42:50.Tomkins will will be happy to see it go out of play. Let's see what was

:42:51. > :42:54.said in the changing rooms. The Wigan coach said his players had

:42:55. > :42:58.made a good start but they let the opposition back in. Return to what

:42:59. > :43:04.we do well, get back to the process, was the message. Liam Watts is calm

:43:05. > :43:11.at half-time. His message was simple, more of the same, please. --

:43:12. > :43:20.Ian Watson. Wigan will get the ball back.

:43:21. > :43:34.They have got a long way to go. Into a scrum, keep their energy levels

:43:35. > :43:40.high. Good start from Wigan, to come out and create the opportunity.

:43:41. > :43:47.Nearly taking it. Salford, Michael Dobson saying, let's calm this down,

:43:48. > :43:58.get it into a structured routine. Awaited Tautai. He takes it in,

:43:59. > :44:00.Tautai. Williams... Tomkins. Burgess. Bought he was on the

:44:01. > :44:18.scoresheet, but denied. -- thought. We have reached the last play. 40

:44:19. > :44:32.yards away. Again, they are going through hands. Tomkins. Oliver

:44:33. > :44:42.Gildart but it into the arms of Junior Sa'u. Managed to keep himself

:44:43. > :44:47.going. Smart play from Wigan. Twice in the second half. Salford wingers

:44:48. > :45:18.have dropped off the end of the line to expect the kick.

:45:19. > :45:22.Dobson, the Wigan back three are in place are looking to return. Here is

:45:23. > :46:14.Tom Davies. Wigan sets, right in the middle.

:46:15. > :46:20.Last play again. Now Evalds had nowhere to go. Really good kick from

:46:21. > :46:26.George Williams, putting that pressure on. We are into the arm

:46:27. > :46:36.muscle process in the second half. He will find a half-break, or a

:46:37. > :46:44.crack that will build pressure. Great kick from George Williams.

:46:45. > :46:49.That was from the Salford fans, back you draw. They want per slide to

:46:50. > :47:04.defend the line. The Salford fans are cheering on

:47:05. > :47:17.their team to defend the line. Wigan fans lifting their noise as well.

:47:18. > :47:30.Great position here, Wigan. What can they make of this? Williams...

:47:31. > :47:50.Taking off. John Bateman will take up the

:47:51. > :47:59.mantle. Nu'uausala looking for anything that might provide him with

:48:00. > :48:15.a glimmer of opportunity. Knocked on. Great defence from Salford.

:48:16. > :48:20.Wigan really challenging Salford. Oliver Gildart with the ball in one

:48:21. > :48:31.hand I was looking for John Burgess on the inside. Great ball from Sean

:48:32. > :48:35.O'Loughlin. I would like a closer look back at that bounce back

:48:36. > :48:36.because there is every chance that was a try. They will have their

:48:37. > :49:04.complaints. Wigan, today, just as Leeds did

:49:05. > :49:15.yesterday taking their part in a record equalling 47 Challenge Cup

:49:16. > :49:24.semifinal. 1976, the last time they went any silverware and they won the

:49:25. > :49:31.league that year. Salford have the edge. 1969 the last time Salford

:49:32. > :49:40.were in the final. 1938, the last time they won the cup. Dribble it

:49:41. > :49:44.into touch. A lot of tired boys on the field. All walking down to the

:49:45. > :49:51.scrum. Nobody is in a particular rush. I think both sides have had a

:49:52. > :49:59.great short kicking game. Fantastic contributions from all the

:50:00. > :50:10.half-backs in that department. Don't forget the red button.

:50:11. > :50:15.Hull against one of these on the 26th of August. One of the best

:50:16. > :50:31.weekends of the year. It is anybody's at the moment. Here

:50:32. > :50:53.comes Tautai. Met by some punishing Salford

:50:54. > :50:57.shoulders. In that contact, Sean O'Loughlin has lost the ball.

:50:58. > :51:09.Salford would get possession back. Is that the shift they needed? Now

:51:10. > :51:14.they have an opportunity. Probably for the first time in the second

:51:15. > :51:18.half. Once they have got some field position, they've got the ball in

:51:19. > :51:24.hand, Dobson and Carney come to light, they start moving Wigan ran,

:51:25. > :51:30.making them accountable. This is the opportunity Salford have been

:51:31. > :51:34.waiting for. Just being content with building pressure and allowing the

:51:35. > :51:42.steam to come out the game. This is Salford's opportunity. Manu Vatuvei

:51:43. > :51:49.with the big carry in. Tasi, looked like he has lost the ball. That

:51:50. > :51:57.didn't last long and Wigan will get the ball back again. Decent shoulder

:51:58. > :52:06.contact. Put pressure on the ball carrier. Little bit of drizzle as

:52:07. > :52:11.well. The ball is greasy and in contact, you have got to be careful

:52:12. > :52:16.with possession. We see games played in the wet, errors are increased.

:52:17. > :52:19.The great defenders will be targeting dot ball to put the

:52:20. > :52:25.shoulder into where the ball is and they will produce errors like that.

:52:26. > :52:54.Wonderful semifinal experience, this. Just as it was yesterday.

:52:55. > :53:04.Good off-load by Tautai. Over the top to Willie Isa. Burgess tried to

:53:05. > :53:08.but the see you later into the face of Greg Johnson. Wigan fans are

:53:09. > :53:31.furious that he hung on too long. Last play. Tomkins... Familiar shift

:53:32. > :53:39.pattern. Manu Vatuvei was underneath it. Lots of time to catch it. Didn't

:53:40. > :53:44.have to get up the ground. The Cherry and Whites are trying to pin

:53:45. > :53:57.Salford in their own half. Wonderful sidestep. Logan Tomkins, Carney is

:53:58. > :54:05.going for a very ambitious 40 20 here. Didn't have enough on it.

:54:06. > :54:13.Carney is the first manned there. The two brothers involved in the

:54:14. > :54:30.tackle. Junior Sa'u is pushed away. Strong carry. Great carry.

:54:31. > :54:37.Baggy on this right-hand side, Salford. Williams saw the gap and

:54:38. > :54:51.then lost the ball. It was stripped away. Brian Noble is imploring

:54:52. > :55:05.Williams to Gopher two. -- go for two. They are going.

:55:06. > :55:11.Brian Noble momentarily lost his Jaffa cakes. They were in his top

:55:12. > :55:26.pocket. This is a great semifinal. How

:55:27. > :55:32.competitive is it? Neither side willing to give an inch. They are

:55:33. > :55:43.fighting tooth and nail for this, as you would expect. Neither side wants

:55:44. > :55:47.to lose the opportunity for glory and they are all square now as

:55:48. > :55:56.Williams puts it over. 14 points apiece. We have still got 25 minutes

:55:57. > :56:19.to go. Can you bear it? Can you bear the tension?

:56:20. > :56:26.It doesn't matter what colours you are wearing, you are united in

:56:27. > :56:31.making noise at the moment inside this ground. Sam Tomkins now we'll

:56:32. > :56:34.take it down. Bambi on the 20 metres. He has support on the

:56:35. > :56:47.inside. Williams was steaming up on the

:56:48. > :56:53.inside. He has been good today, Sam Tomkins. One of the best

:56:54. > :57:04.performances of the year. Here is the wrecking ball.

:57:05. > :57:29.Tautai, comes back again. Couple of tackles to go. Tautai, is hurt.

:57:30. > :57:38.Bit of contact with the head. Not much in it, but certainly rattled

:57:39. > :57:49.Tautai. That is a fair head to rattle as well. Takes some trying.

:57:50. > :58:12.Penalty? It was high. Where anybody else who hasn't seen the replay,

:58:13. > :58:18.that was high. Going on report. He has given the penalty. Tautai has

:58:19. > :58:26.gone off the field. With a head injury. 15 minute assessment. Wigan

:58:27. > :58:33.are going for gold. Looking to put their noses ahead here again. It

:58:34. > :58:42.didn't look much. But the benefit of having a video technology at the

:58:43. > :58:45.game. He caught him high and it was two points. Do influence our

:58:46. > :58:51.penalties in this game has been nude. At the start of the game,

:58:52. > :58:56.Wigan conceded. Salford were then in the ascendancy. Wigan are now

:58:57. > :59:02.scoring points off the back of small bits of ill discipline. How much

:59:03. > :59:11.pressure on this valour. He has put it wide. He has put it wide. It

:59:12. > :59:12.remains all square at 14 apiece. But Wigan, all things being equal,

:59:13. > :59:32.should get the ball back. How big a moment might that proved

:59:33. > :59:41.to be? Earlier in the day... Cup that from Craig Kopczak. We have the

:59:42. > :59:56.heavy rain now and a thunderstorm on the field. Epic. Burgess. Johnson...

:59:57. > :00:02.On the slippery surface, Burgess is pushed out of play and it is Salford

:00:03. > :00:05.who get the ball back again. You cannot take your eyes off this,

:00:06. > :00:10.there is something happening almost every play. We talked about the

:00:11. > :00:18.thunderstorm the weathermen didn't predict, but that is on the field.

:00:19. > :00:22.Didn't think Burgess committed to that. Was reluctant with the

:00:23. > :00:26.conditions now to take him on the outside, but didn't commit either

:00:27. > :00:33.way. I think he was frightened to go eat into touch. It should have been

:00:34. > :00:38.vigorous and comeback against the grain and in the Johnson. With the

:00:39. > :00:42.way Salford are playing right now, huge amount of territory for Wigan

:00:43. > :00:46.in this second half. But the way in which Salford player requires ball

:00:47. > :00:49.movement and these conditions are not conducive to moving the ball.

:00:50. > :01:01.They will have to be clinical to challenge this Wigan side.

:01:02. > :01:37.The golden point, if required, will be used. It has to be settled today.

:01:38. > :01:45.Dobson's kick was not what he would have wanted. He has given Wigan a

:01:46. > :01:48.seven tackle count. The field is a bit more slippery, so you have to

:01:49. > :01:55.adjust your kicking strategy accordingly. The count of six starts

:01:56. > :02:11.from here. McIlorum has some attitude for these

:02:12. > :02:37.late stages. McIlorum! Michael McIlorum, off his

:02:38. > :02:42.boot laces, in the most difficult of conditions. He is not going to give

:02:43. > :02:51.in yet. He is going to make us all wait. He thinks it is a try, but

:02:52. > :02:58.they need to be absolutely sure, so let's hear again from the video ref.

:02:59. > :03:02.REFEREE: paws on the footage if possible, please.

:03:03. > :03:21.Everybody in shot is behind the line.

:03:22. > :03:41.What a try. It sounded like a roar of the undergoing around the

:03:42. > :03:46.stadium. What a try! What poise from the winger. And how about the

:03:47. > :03:58.ball-handling skills of Michael McIlorum? What a catch. What a

:03:59. > :04:08.pick-up. The fabulous skill that we saw and then the run from Burgess

:04:09. > :04:14.compliments George Williams' kick. It was Williams over the top.

:04:15. > :04:27.Williams spotted Johnson being aggressive. Showed some patients.

:04:28. > :04:33.Michael McIlorum deserves that try, because he recognised that that ball

:04:34. > :04:43.might come back to the middle. Great place. -- great play. It is

:04:44. > :04:52.absolutely hammering down now. It is whether to match the mood of the

:04:53. > :04:58.game, dramatic and intense. How about the kick of Burgess at full

:04:59. > :05:13.pace? Quality. You need to execute when the weather is like this.

:05:14. > :05:24.Michael McIlorum, with a kick and then that chase as well. The hook is

:05:25. > :05:29.adding something. Salford are struggling to get behind the ball

:05:30. > :05:31.now. A crushing piece of play from Wigan. The Wigan fans are in full

:05:32. > :06:09.voice now. And the kick is taken by Tomkins.

:06:10. > :06:33.Johnson just needed to push up with Masila.

:06:34. > :06:42.#bbcrl to get in touch. Wigan are in front at the moment, but that is

:06:43. > :07:07.only at the moment. Still twists and turns aplenty.

:07:08. > :07:48.There is a bonus for Salford. Here he comes.

:07:49. > :07:59.Big games rest on moments like that. Salford had momentum there. They

:08:00. > :08:11.were rolling Wigan nicely down the field. The break by Masila, that was

:08:12. > :08:12.a big miss. You don't get a chance like that in these conditions of the

:08:13. > :08:32.game. It's been a while since we have had

:08:33. > :08:41.two semifinals as noisy and as atmospheric as we have had this

:08:42. > :08:45.year. It's brilliant. All four sets of supporters for the semifinals

:08:46. > :09:16.have got involved. One play to go here. Tomkins going

:09:17. > :09:26.for the drop goal, and he's got it, just as he did in the last round

:09:27. > :09:33.against Warrington. A one pointer that might be priceless. The weather

:09:34. > :09:41.conditions may lay their part. Salford still have a chance here.

:09:42. > :09:51.But the dominance in the second half has been with Wigan. It has 100%.

:09:52. > :09:55.Big challenge for Salford. Their season has been building for this

:09:56. > :10:09.and it is a big moment in their year. Salford have to scored twice.

:10:10. > :10:35.Wigan at the moment are in the box seat.

:10:36. > :10:51.Oh, Bateman has lost it. This is the only time it hasn't worked out for

:10:52. > :10:58.Wigan. They are trying to play in wet conditions. Bateman wasn't

:10:59. > :11:03.expecting it. That error gives Salford a little glimmer, Brian.

:11:04. > :11:10.Absolutely. With 13 minutes left, they will feel they are well capable

:11:11. > :11:13.of two scores. This is where Carney and Dobson need to come to life and

:11:14. > :12:05.really steer this side around. Wigan's pressure was good enough. We

:12:06. > :12:09.had a lot of examples yesterday of how you can help the person who is

:12:10. > :12:12.going to catch the ball. It was Davies in this instance. You will

:12:13. > :12:19.see maybe five red shirts around the defending player. That was why they

:12:20. > :12:43.cleaned it up. That was why they got the result and Salford didn't.

:12:44. > :12:56.The coverage of the Challenge Cup this year began with wonderful

:12:57. > :12:58.entertainment and now we are here at the semifinal and we have rain

:12:59. > :13:05.spattered lenses again, and the drama is just as good. Super chase.

:13:06. > :13:37.Top kick as well. We need something special here from

:13:38. > :13:45.Salford to get themselves back in. Wigan know they just have to work

:13:46. > :13:56.hard. Hard work brings its own rewards.

:13:57. > :14:04.The shoulder contact in these weather conditions gives Wigan that

:14:05. > :14:07.really valuable feed position. Salford artist hoping for something

:14:08. > :14:19.instead of playing for something. Without doubt. They need to put a

:14:20. > :14:23.kick where they can challenge for it. Those are the small things that

:14:24. > :14:27.can get them back into the game. They are looking for somebody to

:14:28. > :14:33.create something. They will get a chance. Still ten minutes to play.

:14:34. > :15:08.That is an age in a semifinal. They have lost a bit of ground, and

:15:09. > :15:11.he has lost possession. Salford have it back. I think we are going to see

:15:12. > :15:16.a lot of that between now and the end of the game. That is the issue

:15:17. > :15:20.with the conditions now. Salford have to hurry up. They also have to

:15:21. > :15:24.think about how to control the ball in the rain, how to get to the other

:15:25. > :15:27.end of the field, and they have got to come up with two scores. Wigan

:15:28. > :15:30.need to be careful not to rely on their banality of being a great

:15:31. > :15:55.defensive team who can do anything. The Salford guys have got into the

:15:56. > :16:09.high 30s. That was like watching grandstand in the 1970s. At the

:16:10. > :16:14.start of the game, Wigan were really controlling things. This is when it

:16:15. > :16:19.hurts you, when you need energy. Wigan really took the juice out of

:16:20. > :16:39.Salford, and that has its impact now. Just under nine minutes to go.

:16:40. > :16:47.Carney has got a 40-20! His second of the game. A moment of magic, a

:16:48. > :16:55.moment of momentum change, potentially. And Leuluai is off the

:16:56. > :17:05.field, with a professional getting involved. Salford wanted to take

:17:06. > :17:22.this out quickly. Gelling threw the ball away. Oh, my days. And then

:17:23. > :17:38.Salford have dropped it! Can't take this. We can't keep up with it! What

:17:39. > :17:41.a kick from Carney. We missed that. That was disappointing. A couple of

:17:42. > :17:58.errors from Lama Tasi. There is the Wigan chairman, looking

:17:59. > :17:59.on. Nobody can sit still at the moment. Nobody can really enjoy this

:18:00. > :18:19.at the moment. Wigan are down to 12 for the

:18:20. > :18:26.remainder of the game. He is out of the action now. They will have 20

:18:27. > :18:42.minutes match with a man short in the final reckoning.

:18:43. > :18:56.I don't know what to say. Wow. Dramatic game. A couple of errors

:18:57. > :19:24.from Wigan have crept in and gifted Salford possession.

:19:25. > :19:36.Wigan will have a member short of defence. They are missing a player.

:19:37. > :19:45.Four tackles to go. Seven and a half minutes to go. There was a bit of

:19:46. > :19:46.slip-sliding from the defence. The ball was stolen away. It's another

:19:47. > :20:04.penalty for Salford. They are keeping going. Smart piece

:20:05. > :20:05.of play from Sam Tomkins. He sent all of his players over to the

:20:06. > :20:27.right. Now it's a question of hearts over

:20:28. > :20:36.minds. Lungs are bursting, legs are aching, but Wembley is up for grabs.

:20:37. > :20:49.Carney has gone down and stayed down. Salford carry on. They are

:20:50. > :20:55.pointing at Carney to the game. And they have eventually stopped the

:20:56. > :21:16.game. I think Salford have pleaded for a penalty here. 100%. Well, he

:21:17. > :21:28.seems to be OK now. It looked to be an accidental clash of heads, I

:21:29. > :21:36.think. It just looked worse because of the timing of it. Carney is

:21:37. > :21:40.obviously relaxed. If you are going to be penalising that, it should be

:21:41. > :21:48.penalised immediately, not letting a player stayed down.

:21:49. > :22:01.Carney is going off the field for a head test. That is huge. Todd Carney

:22:02. > :22:08.has arguably been Salford's best player, by some stretch, and is now

:22:09. > :22:20.off the field. On the balance of things, a smart piece of play by

:22:21. > :22:33.Isa. But does Carney come back on again? The tension, the nerves! That

:22:34. > :22:39.is a high shot that has given Wigan a penalty. Whatever the mathematics

:22:40. > :22:50.of the situation, Salford still have to scored twice in the six minutes

:22:51. > :23:01.remaining. O'Loughlin has been strong today.

:23:02. > :23:12.I love that chapter from McIlorum. He said, you have sin-binned two of

:23:13. > :23:18.us, what about them? A little insight into small talk between the

:23:19. > :23:21.players and the referee. Probably more of the broadcaster but elements

:23:22. > :23:32.of the conversations that might have gone on.

:23:33. > :23:38.Wigan will just be looking for territory here, and efficient usage

:23:39. > :24:06.of the ball in the last three or four tackles. Salford hoping.

:24:07. > :24:19.The chase is on... And it was not forward by a Wigan player. It's now

:24:20. > :24:22.or never for Salford. They have to hurry up. They have to look for that

:24:23. > :24:41.hero. Vatuvei's contributions have been

:24:42. > :24:47.kept a relatively limited numbers. Thomas Leuluai has been exceptional.

:24:48. > :24:53.Much of the spine of the Wigan team has been exceptional. Williams has

:24:54. > :24:59.been a threat. There are a couple of really experienced guys. Some

:25:00. > :25:04.fantastic performances on this Wigan side. Penalty for Salford. Dangerous

:25:05. > :25:34.tackle. We are almost at the this is it

:25:35. > :25:43.moment. This might be at in terms of the slot in which Salford have to

:25:44. > :25:54.score. Wigan have it back! Their turn to rejoice. Salford just

:25:55. > :25:58.haven't taken the opportunities. They have had some possession. They

:25:59. > :26:04.have come up with very errors with the ball, and that is not good

:26:05. > :26:16.enough. In the second half, Wigan have been really solid.

:26:17. > :26:21.Nobody will be writing Salford off just yet, because they were

:26:22. > :26:28.relegated with 90 seconds of the season remaining last year, and they

:26:29. > :26:32.survived in a miraculous escape. That should make Jamie more cheerful

:26:33. > :26:39.and our presentation box. So Salford know they have got it in 'em. But

:26:40. > :26:48.just like that million pound game last year, they have to scored

:26:49. > :26:58.twice, with time ticking away. Surely they can't do it twice, can

:26:59. > :27:08.they? There is too much vigour in this Wigan defence with what's at

:27:09. > :27:27.stake and all of those things. A couple of tackles left in the set.

:27:28. > :27:31.Last play. Up in the air it goes. Burgess, with a superb catch in the

:27:32. > :27:42.circumstances. Terrific stuff, level-headed. He got every help from

:27:43. > :27:46.his team-mates again. You two have had the job of picking the man of

:27:47. > :27:52.the match here this afternoon. To have you got? There have been some

:27:53. > :27:55.outstanding efforts. O'Loughlin and Bateman have been outstanding.

:27:56. > :28:08.Williams has injected himself at the right time. Leuluai has kicked well.

:28:09. > :28:11.But I think it is Sam Tomkins. So congratulations to Sam Tomkins, the

:28:12. > :28:24.Ladbrokes Challenge Cup man of the match. 90 seconds to go. Sam has

:28:25. > :28:29.been a threat with the ball, but he has had a tough year, actually. He

:28:30. > :28:34.had a significant injury to his leg. He has come back into the Wigan

:28:35. > :28:37.side. He took a few weeks to get going, but today Sam has been the

:28:38. > :28:45.link that has helped move the ball when they needed to. Especially in

:28:46. > :28:52.those last place. Behind the scenes, Sam is organising everything.

:28:53. > :29:12.Defensively, he has got his numbers right. Vatuvei knocks it on. Surely

:29:13. > :29:16.now, the path to Wembley will be decorated in Cherry and Whites as

:29:17. > :29:25.well as black and white. Wigan fans rejoicing. Even a miracle can't save

:29:26. > :29:33.Salford now, surely. It's been an epic semifinal. It is moments of

:29:34. > :29:39.high controversy. It has had moments of great skill. But memorable mostly

:29:40. > :29:54.for its moments of real determination. And he crowns the

:29:55. > :30:00.win. Gildart's try, Wigan's match. It is Wigan against Hull at Wembley

:30:01. > :30:05.in August. On this second half showing, they have deserved it. They

:30:06. > :30:09.have come out strong and controlled their field position and possession.

:30:10. > :30:25.Gildart was the icing on the cake. What a super semifinal we have had.

:30:26. > :30:36.Celebrations, a weary relief as much as anything. Because what has been

:30:37. > :30:44.given to this game by both sides. The physical commitment has been

:30:45. > :30:46.terrific. Salford, so close. But it is Wigan who reach the finishing

:30:47. > :31:14.line first. The footnote to the game is a George

:31:15. > :31:19.Williams conversion, which takes the scoreline to 27-14. Wigan are

:31:20. > :31:24.winners. It will be Hull against Wigan. That should be a classic

:31:25. > :31:30.final in August. You will see it here on the BBC. But what a

:31:31. > :31:39.semifinal weekend we have had. Two great games. All four teams really

:31:40. > :31:44.terrific, the contest superb, the atmosphere magnificent. But it is

:31:45. > :31:49.Wigan and Hull who will compete in the final. And our man of the match

:31:50. > :31:56.Sam Tomkins is speaking with Damien Johnson. Congratulations, you are

:31:57. > :32:01.through to another final. I am buzzing, can't wait to get there. It

:32:02. > :32:07.was a terrific game, and you did it the tough way. Yeah. We dominated

:32:08. > :32:10.the first 20 minutes and then went a bit slack. A few decisions went

:32:11. > :32:16.against us and we gave them too much ball. But in the second half, we

:32:17. > :32:21.were in control. What was your view of the sin-bin in? I thought it was

:32:22. > :32:32.harsh at the time, but I have not seen it. Well done. You have ten

:32:33. > :32:46.seconds to sum that up! Brilliant. Wigan deserved it. A champion side.

:32:47. > :32:51.Salford made that into a game. It's been a treat. Can't wait to the

:32:52. > :32:57.final. Well, we have run out of time on BBC Two. We are going over to the

:32:58. > :33:01.red button forum for plenty more reaction and analysis, but we know

:33:02. > :33:04.that Hull will play Wigan in the Challenge Cup