Sand & delivered AUSSIE ACE STEALS SHOW AS WOLVES ROMP TO THE FINAL
CHRIS Sandow got the Warrington party started by leading the Wolves to a first Ladbrokes Challenge Cup final since 2012.
The Australian half- back proved a constant thorn in the side of outgunned Wakefield, who were missing a dozen first team players and struggled to contain their dominant opponents.
Rampant Wolves, who had NINE different try-scorers, now face Hull FC in a Wembley showdown that pits Super League’s top two against each other on August 27.
Live-wire Sandow has become a firm favourite on the Warrington terraces, and their party chant got plenty of airing as he scored one try and had a hand in several of the others.
Wolves coach Tony Smith said: “There were a number of very good performers, but I thought Chrissy Sandow was right up there. A lot of the things he did were top drawer, top class.
“Even some times when he didn’t slice through them, he was taking them on and that creates danger.”
Smith (below) must now come up with a plan to reverse two league defeats by the Black and Whites this year.
He said: “We’ve got to find a way to unlock a victory – they’ve been pretty good on us and that builds it up. It’s a mouth-watering prospect and we haven’t got long to wait for it either.”
Wildcats coach Chris Chester was eager to return to the final and make amends for the 50- 0 hammering his Hull KR team received at Wembley last year. Instead, he found himself on the wrong end of another one-sided scoreline, though he refused to question his players’ effort.
Chester revealed that he was down to 16 fit men, with skipper Danny Kirmond as a substitute despite a knee issue. “Wolves were far too good for us, far too quick– once they get a roll on they are very hard to stop,” said Chester.
“We are very disappointed, but we’ve come a long way in a short space of time.”
Wakefield actually opened the scoring, Jacob Miller’s smart long ball allowing Craig Hall to finish out wide but that was as good as it got for the Wildcats.
Warrington hit back with four first-half tries, including one from Jack Hughes in which he carried four defenders over the line.
Daryl Clark ghosted in with ease before Sandow and Hughes combined to put Rhys Evans over.
Wakefield were just about still in the contest at 18-6, but the concession of another soft try right on half-time to Kurt Gidley, ended any hopes of an unlikely comeback – and the second half quickly became a procession.
Sandow exchanged passes with Ryan Atkins to touch down, before Stefan Ratchford picked up a Matty Russell pass to score.
Russell created the next try, intercepting on his own line and haring 70 metres upfield.
He was eventually dragged down by Ben Jones-Bishop, but Sandow sent Ben Currie over with ease.
By then Wakefield had David Fifita sin-binned for making a high tackle on Sandow, and they were still down to 12 men when Brad Dwyer kicked on for Toby King to finish.
Ben Westwood grabbed another close- range try and although Max Jowitt crossed for Trinity, King completed the scoring with his second.