Warrington have become the first team to book their place in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup with a clinical 16-6 win over Catalans Dragons at Headingley, leaving Greg Inglis just 80 minutes away from Wembley's traditional showpiece final.
Hooker Daryl Clark scored both Warrington tries and scrumhalf Gareth Widdop kicked four goals from five attempts but the Wolves' Australian coach Steve Price will be most pleased with his side's water-tight defence.
The Wolves never looked back after establishing a 14-0 lead after 26 minutes as they dominated their first Challenge Cup meeting with the Dragons since the 2018 Wembley final, which the French team won 20-14 to make history.
The quarter-final marked a first appearance in the British game's celebrated knock-out competition for Australian great Inglis.
Having made his long-awaited Super League debut last weekend, Inglis played at fullback in the absence of an injured Matty Ashton and didn't put a foot wrong in a solid display.
With Ashton undergoing surgery on Tuesday to repair torn ankle ligaments and facing a three-month lay-off, Price may decide to keep Inglis going as fullback.
"We'll review the game," Price said. "We'll manage Greg. It's important we just keep taking small steps with him and we'll see where he feels most comfortable.
"Greg understands the game really well and I thought he did a really good job organising our numbers.
"He's not at his best but, the more games he plays, the quicker he gets his rhythm going. I'm really pleased with how he's contributing."
In a late change, Australian standoff Blake Austin was handed a recall for Wolves after Stefan Ratchford complained of a groin problem in the warm-up.
The Dragons handed a debut to back rower Joe Chan, the 20-year-old son of former Catalans player and current team manager Alex Chan, who was on the field when Inglis made his debut for Melbourne Storm in 2005.
Warrington quickly adjusted to the late change, with centre Toby King breaking through the Catalans defence on two minutes to get Clark racing over for his first try.
Widdop extended the lead with a 40-metre penalty on 17 minutes, awarded for a ball steal on Inglis, and Clark grabbed his second try nine minutes later after prop Chris Hill had offloaded from the tackle just short of the line.
Widdop's third goal made it 14-0 and, as the Dragons continued to come up with the errors, they had a try from scrumhalf Josh Drinkwater disallowed for offside.
Another Widdop penalty, awarded for a high tackle on Inglis, early in the second half took the game further away from the misfiring French side.
But for the defensive heroics of winger Tom Davies, Warrington could have been out of sight but the Dragons gave themselves a glimmer of hope midway through the second half when they kept the ball alive long enough for second rower Mike McMeeken to cross for a try.
Australian James Maloney added the conversion and, after Widdop had failed with another penalty attempt, the Catalans spent the final quarter virtually camped inside the Wolves 20-metre area but without finding the composure to make it count.
Australian Associated Press
