Little old Leigh: front and centre of the rugby league universe. The decades spent in the wilderness, the countless financial crises, the days playing in front of tiny crowds; they have all just been consigned to the annals of history with one decisive swing of Lachlan Lam’s left boot.
It is difficult to remember a rugby league story quite like this. This time last year, Leigh were celebrating winning the 1895 Cup, the competition for non-Super League clubs to enjoy a day out alongside the Challenge Cup final. Now, the town with a population barely exceeding 40,000 has their hands on the sport’s biggest prize for the first time since 1971.
Leigh, ridiculed for their rebrand in the winter to the Leopards, with their owner, Derek Beaumont, introducing a leopard-themed kit, were tipped to be fighting relegation this season. Yet incredibly, they have won the Challenge Cup after the first final settled in extra time, with Lam the match-winner. For the first time in a long time, Leigh are the name on everyone’s lips in rugby league land. Calling it a fairytale does not even come close.
Perhaps it was fitting that Lam, their linchpin at scrum-half, settled the game. It is 21 years since his father, Adrian, Leigh’s coach, kicked a drop goal in Wigan’s victory in the final against Bradford. Lachlan was there then, watching his father create history: he has now done so himself.
“I don’t want to make it about Lachlan, but it was a special moment,” Adrian said. “I’ve thought this week how lucky I am to have him playing here for my team and playing well. It’s incredible to think how this has happened. It’s an incredible story for rugby league.”
Lam settled the final with a nerveless drop goal to vanquish Hull KR, but only after the Robins had forced extra time with Matt Parcell’s try as the game entered the final minute with Leigh winning 16-10.
You felt the momentum was with Rovers given how they scrambled extra time. But Lam was the one who delivered when it mattered most, meaning Rovers’ wait for a first cup triumph since 1980 will go on for at least another year.
“It’s hard to take but it I’m so proud of all the players,” their coach, Willie Peters, said. He was right: they played their part in a classic.
There was never more than six points between the sides, with Leigh ahead by two in an action-packed first half. They took an early lead through a Ben Reynolds penalty before Brad Schneider’s try put Rovers ahead. Leigh responded when Kai O’Donnell and Lam combined to send the latter through and make it 8-6 to the Leopards.
Elliot Minchella was then sent to the sin-bin for a high shot on Reynolds and while the scrum-half’s penalty made it 10-6, Leigh did not take full advantage. That meant by the time Minchella returned shortly after half‑time and Hull KR had clawed back the deficit further through a Schneider penalty, the final was in the balance.
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The drama would not relent. Schneider added another penalty to make it 10-10 and with 10 minutes remaining Tom Briscoe crossed in the corner to put Leigh back ahead. It looked to be a decisive score until the Leopards failed to deal with a kick and Parcell grounded in the ensuing melee to send it to extra time.
Now it was a case of who would blink first. Gareth O’Brien skewed a drop-goal attempt wide for Leigh, before Schneider’s long-range effort fell desperately short. That left the door ajar for Lam to emulate his father’s heroics and he duly obliged.
More than a third of the town made the trip to London and there will be some party in Lancashire in the days ahead. Who would begrudge that for anyone associated with the Leopards after the wait they have had.
