The Warrington Wolves–Wigan Warriors rivalry is a local rugby league rivalry based in Lancashire, England. The two clubs are some of the most successful in England, and annually compete in the Locker Cup to celebrate their rivalry.
 Warrington and Wigan enter Anfield for Magic Weekend 2019 | |
| Location | Lancashire, England |
|---|---|
| Teams |  Warrington Wolves Wigan Warriors |
| First meeting | 2 November 1895 (Wigan Warriors 8–0 Warrington Wolves) |
| Latest meeting | 14 July 2023 (Wigan Warriors 26–12 Warrington Wolves) |
| Next meeting | 01 June 2024 |
| Stadiums | Halliwell Jones Stadium DW Stadium |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 165 |
| Most wins | Wigan Warriors (101) |
History
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The competitive history of the two clubs began on 18 January 1873 when the then two-month-old Wigan Warriors played their first match against Warrington Wolves (who would not form an official team for another three years).[1] Both clubs were founding members of the NRFU, and have enjoyed a fierce rivalry throughout their history. Both sides also have other major rivalries, Warrington vs Widnes Vikings and Wigan vs St Helens, which at times has dampened the rivalry between them. However it was Wigan's dominance in during the late 1980s and 90s which caused the largest taming of the rivalry. It was only in 2009 and 2010 following Warrington's back-to-back victory in the Challenge Cup and the club's subsequently establishing themselves as a Super League Top Four Club which saw the rivalry heat up again as both teams started simultaneously competing for top honours.[2] In the decade that followed, the clubs contested three Super League Grand Finals in 2013, 2016, and 2018. The rivalry has said to have been at its peak between 2011 and 2013.[3]
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Head to head
edit- Statistics correct as of 19/8/22[4]
In all competitions, competitive and uncompetitive:
| Played | Warrington | Drawn | Wigan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 165 | 58 | 6 | 101 |
Meetings in major finals
edit- 1925–26 NFRL Division One Championship Final: Wigan 22–10 Warrington
- 1948–49 Lancashire Cup Final: Wigan 14–8 Warrington
- 1950–51 Lancashire Cup Final: Wigan 28–5 Warrington
- 1989–90 Challenge Cup Final: Wigan 36–14 Warrington
- 1985–86 Lancashire Cup Final: Wigan 34–8 Warrington
- 1986–87 Premiership Final: Wigan 8–0 Warrington
- 1987–88 Lancashire Cup Final: Wigan 28–16 Warrington
- 2013 Super League Grand Final: Wigan 30–16 Warrington
- 2016 Super League Grand Final: Wigan 12–6 Warrington
- 2018 Super League Grand Final: Wigan 12–4 Warrington
Collective honours
edit- As of the 2024 World Club Challenge
| Warrington Wolves | Honour | Wigan Warriors | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | No. | No. | Rank | |
| 12th | 3 | League Championships | 23 | 1st |
| 12th | 3 | League Leaders | 23 | 1st |
| 4th | 9 | Challenge Cup | 20 | 1st |
| 4th | 2 | Premiership | 6 | 1st |
| 2nd | 4 | League Cup | 8 | 1st |
| — | 0 | Charity Shield | 4 | 1st |
| — | 0 | World Club Challenge | 5 | 1st |
| 2nd | 8 | Lancashire League | 18 | 1st |
| 3rd | 9 | Lancashire Cup | 21 | 1st |
| — | 0 | BBC2 Floodlit Trophy | 1 | 5th |
Locker Cup
edit| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 2 |
| Country |  (RFL) |
| Holders | Wigan Warriors (35th title) |
| Most titles | Wigan Warriors (35 titles) |
The Locker Cup (previously the Wardonia Cup until 1972) is a friendly tournament contested by rugby league clubs Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors introduced in 1938. The single game tournament was played as a preseason friendly alternating between the club's home grounds annually until the switch to summer rugby in 1996. It was brought back for Magic Weekend 2019, but was cancelled a year later due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then it has been played for during the Super League season.[1][5][6]
- Results
Gallery
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Wigan v Warrington for Locker Cup - Wigan Warriors". wiganwarriors.com. July 29, 2022.
- ^ "Wigan and Warrington are forming the latest Super League rivalry – with both determined to do it their way". 8 July 2011.
- ^ "The top five underappreciated rivalries in Super League history". 22 August 2021.
- ^ "Wigan Warriors - Head To Head - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
- ^ "The Locker Cup Returns to Rugby League after 24 Years". lockergroup.com. May 28, 2019.
- ^ "Wigan Warriors to play Warrington Wolves for the Locker Cup, but what is it?". Wigan Today. July 29, 2022.