Inside Bevan French’s heroic return for Wigan’s Challenge Cup final triumph

Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet has revealed the plan was always for Bevan French to return in the Challenge Cup final, but he almost didn’t make it off the bench at all!

French had been out for 12 weeks prior to Saturday afternoon’s showpiece at Wembley having torn his hamstring in a Super League clash away at Toulouse Olympique back in early March.

16 weeks had been the initial prognosis for a return, and any talk around a potential return for the cup final was kept to a minimum.

But French was named in Peet’s initial 21-man squad earlier this week, and then on the bench come match day, eventually featuring for circa 18 minutes as the Cherry and Whites secured their record-extending 22nd triumph in the competition.

‘We always had this game in mind’

Wigan’s star man had scored a try in front of their adoring fans within three minutes of entering the action, with that among the crowning moments in a 40-10 triumph over Hull KR under the arch.

Post-match, head coach Peet detailed: “We always had this game in mind (for French to return0, but he had to be ticking off the boxes along the way in terms of his running.

“He’s had some follow-up scans, testing and all of the markers, but the physios and the specialists monitoring him throughout the whole process were saying this game would be very achievable.

“He’s had two weeks practice with us, there would have been an option to play him for more minutes, but we were comfortable with the position we were in and how Jack was playing.

“He ticked all the boxes, we wouldn’t have risked him and risked losing him for the rest of the season.

“We’ve got a fair chunk of games left, and we’re better off with him than without him. It was planned for a while.”

‘I’d have been very comfortable with Jack playing the full 80, but Bev wanted to come on!’

20-year-old Jack Farrimond has been filling the hole left by French in the halves, and did so again in the most part at Wembley, delivering a scintillating show to earn the Lance Todd Trophy as Player of the Match.

French was not put through his paces until after half-time, and Peet explained: “With regards the warm-up, he did most of his at half-time because the plan was always to bring him on in the second half.

“We didn’t want to warm him up twice, he didn’t do much of a warm-up before the game, but he did a lot at half-time.

“I’d have been very comfortable with Jack playing the full 80, but Bev wanted to come on!

“With 20 minutes left, I said, ‘how do you feel if I don’t put you on?’

“He said, ‘I don’t mind, but I’m 100% ready to go’

“He knew if he didn’t get on, he’d have to do some conditioning! But it worked out well, I’m glad I was able to get him on, the fans saw him score a nice try.”