Paul Broadbent kissed the Silk Cut Challenge Cup, Sheffield's players hugged each other deliriously and tears of joy ran down the cheeks of the Yorkshire supporters.

It was a scene of uncontrollable ecstasy and quite wonderful sporting achievement.

Quite right, for this was simply one of the greatest upsets in sporting history - to rate with Muhammad Ali beating Sonny Liston, Sunderland eclipsing Leeds in the FA Cup, Foinavon winning the Grand National.

Three tries from Nick Pinkney, Matt Crowther and Darren Turner were the bald statistics which took the Eagles higher than they have ever flown before.

But mere statistics do not fully tell the thrilling story which unfolded at Wembley this afternoon.

For this was Sheffield, the side founded when Gary Hetherington gave up his double glazing job 14 years ago and assembled a side for £7,000, eclipsing the most famous rugby league club in the world.

We had feared a one-sided contest, a walkover, a massacre of humiliating dimensions. What we got was a battle of truly heroic proportions and a victory which was a fabulous advertisement for rugby league's great showpiece.

No matter that there were only a shade over 60,000 in Wembley to see it - those who stayed away were the only losers today.

The bookies, remember, had installed Wigan as 1-14 favourites, which not only ranks as one of the meanest prices in sporting history, but was something of an insult to the professionals of Sheffield.

From the kick-off the whole Sheffield side seemed intent on proving to the rugby world that they were a match for their more illustrious opponents.

Their mood was determined, their tackling intense and their tactics quite brilliantly hatched by meticulous and studious coach John Kear, who had employed a sports psychologist during the week to give his side a mental edge.

They pushed Wigan back into the corners with precise kicks and such was the momentum created that within four minutes they were on the scoreboard.

A great surging attack left Great Britain prop Broadbent just short of the Wigan line and when the ball was switched left, Mark Aston put in a wonderfully precise chip which landed like a Nick Faldo sand-wedge in the arms of Nick Pinkney, who rose above Jason Robinson to score his 22nd try for Sheffield.

There was a stunned silence among the Wigan supporters, especially as it became apparent that their normally reliable stars were making error after error.

There were more shocks to come. Free-running wing Matt Crowther split open the Wigan defence with a long, mazy run in the 27th minute and then a minute later came Sheffield's second try.

The ball was worked swiftly across the line and with an overlap beckoning, loose-forward Rod Doyle threw out a 15-yard pass which bounced towards Crowther.

The winger gratefully gathered up the loose ball and scampered gleefully over in the corner, with Gary Connolly clinging to his legs. Aston's conversion put Sheffield 10 points ahead.

It could have been more, for while Andy Farrell reduced the deficit with a penalty when Sheffield were punished for holding down, the gritty Yorkshiremen could have run in more tries before half-time.

A 60-yard Crowther break was only halted by a desperate tackle by Kris Radlinski.

And another Sheffield overlap should have produced a try, but Keith Senior chose to pass to a touchjudge rather than Crowther, who would surely have been clear.

Aston popped over a drop-goal seconds from half-time to give Sheffield an 11-2 interval lead.

Whatever Wigan coach John Monie said at half-time, it did little to rouse his team out of their lethargy.

They looked anything but the confident side who are leading Super League. They were too often second to the ball and Wigan were lucky to hold back Broadbent a yard short in the 51st minute.

From the play-the-ball, however, substitute Turner burrowed his way under two players to claim the touchdown.

When Aston slotted over the conversion, Sheffield seemed unassailable with a 15-point lead at 17-2.

But Wigan have too many quality players to play so badly for so long and they finally began to sort out their problems, surging forward in wave after wave of attacks.

It was almost inevitable that the Eagles defence would crack and when the ball was swept across the line by Henry Paul, Denis Betts and Lee Gilmour, Aussie winger Mark Bell crossed in the corner.

Farrell slotted over the touchline conversion and Wigan's nervous supporters willed on the team who had won eight successive Challenge Cups in the 80s and 90s with a throaty roar.

The waves of Wigan attacks got more and more frantic, however, as it became apparent that one of the great sporting shocks was on the cards.

Farrell thought he had a crucial try in the 65th minute, but it was disallowed when desperate defending held him up and Tony Smith was hauled down by a magnificent Dave Watson tackle two minutes later.

It was intense, hairy stuff, but somehow Sheffield held out - and no-one would begrudge them their victory.

Just reaching Wembley had been an incredible achievement - winning was the stuff of dreams.

As for Wigan, Monie will be disappointed - but will recognise that his team were beaten by a more committed, more physically intimidating side on the day.

And as his players trudged disconsolately up the tunnel, the tannoy belted out Tina Turner's 'Simply the Best'.

It has been Wigan's anthem for so long - but not today. On this sunshine Saturday the best team won and it was Sheffield.

Team Sheet

Score Sheet

Half Time: 2-11
Attendance: 60,000
Date: Saturday 2nd May 1998
Venue: Wembley Stadium (London)
Kick Off: 2:45pm
Referee: Stuart Cummings (Widnes)
Lance Todd Trophy Winner: Mark Aston (Sheffield)