The Challenge Cup finals of the early 90’s always had one thing in common. They were won by Wigan. In 1994 they took on Leeds looking for their seventh success in a row. This final had an added extra to it with former Wigan skipper Ellery Hanley captaining the Leeds side, but there was to be only one talking point.
Wigan had been under pressure in the early stages but they would turn that around in the blink of an eye with a piece of individual brilliance. Collecting the ball at first receiver on the edge of his own 10, Wigan wing Martin Offiah would brush off two Leeds defenders and make a break. Outpacing the chasing Innes, Offiah was faced with just Leeds fullback Alan Tait with around 40 metres to go.
Slowing down slightly and weighing up his options, Offiah didn’t need asking twice when he was surprisingly offered the outside by Tait and shifted through the gears to leave the former Scotland Rugby Union star in his wake as he raced in at the corner for the opening try of the game. Defence into attack in seconds, and Offiah had answered the pre-match questions of his poor form in style. Even the Leeds fans had to stand and applaud.
In 2007 when the new Wembley was opened, Offiah was immortalised inside the stadium with the naming of his own bar. The “The Rugby League Challenge Cup Final – The Greatest Ever Try” bar is situated on the first floor and commemorates the year 1994 from the history of Wembley. Offiah is to also be immortalised in a statue erected at the ground with some people asking for his now iconic pose just seconds after scoring to be how he’s immortalised in bronze. Offiah said of the statue “It’s a bit overwhelming when you realise you’re about to be immortalised in this way”
Watch that try here
Tagged: challenge cup, martin offiah, Rugby League
Egg Chasing 
[…] in the 2011 Challenge Cup Final which was scored by Joel and has been likened to the try scored by Martin Offiah in 1994. As the older brother, Joel would be seen to protect his brother on a number of occasions however […]