The 64,845 crowd at Wembley – the biggest for a Challenge Cup final since 2017 – performed an impeccably observed minute’s silence prior to kick-off, and again seven minutes into the match in honour of the shirt the Leeds Rhinos legend wore.

But, by then the game had got off to the most dramatic of starts when referee Chris Kendall issued two yellow cards inside the first three minutes – both of them harsh.

Wire old boy Mike Cooper was first to go in only the second minute for a high challenge as he lost his balance. And, when Dufty did similar, Kendall was forced to whip his card out again to balance things up.

It was back to 13 a side again when Josh Thewlis put Wire ahead with a penalty kick before a touch of French class opened up Wire for the game’s opening try.

The Aussie coolly waited before placing his grubber kick to perfection for Eckersley, the replacement for the banned Adam Keighran, to touch down – and Harry Smith duly kicked the first of his three conversions.

Then, only six minutes later, with Wigan camped down at the Wire end after a bad spill by Matty Ashton, they were in again – this time a solo effort from French as he powered to the line and, although challenged, had the presence of mind to touch down whilst facing backwards.

His next finish right on half-time was even more sensational, as he somehow snaked out his arm to score after wriggling over.

But it was ruled ‘NO TRY’ – rightly as it turned out as his elbow had already hit the floor and it was clearly a double movement. However, it was actually ruled out for not getting a proper connection in grounding, which he seemed to have done.