Catalans Dragons pulled off an upset by stunning Super League leaders St Helens 35-16 and Warrington Wolves joined them in the Challenge Cup final with a hammering of Leeds Rhinos.
The Perpignan club were outstanding at the University of Bolton Stadium on Sunday, teaching Saints a lesson to reach only their second Challenge Cup decider at Wembley on August 25.
Saints' treble hopes were shattered by half-time as rampant Catalans rose to the occasion on a warm afternoon in Lancashire, scoring four first-half tries to lead 27-0 at the break.
Justin Holbrook's side had only lost twice in an outstanding season, but tries from Lewis Tierney and Ben Garcia put the Dragons in control following a penalty from the excellent Josh Drinkwater.
There was no let-up from the French side, Tony Gigot going over after Saints were torn apart on the right and Garcia helped himself to a double with Morgan Knowles in the sin bin.
Mark Percival claimed a second-half brace and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook also crossed, but Catalans cruised into the final 11 years after their only previous appearance in a Wembley showdown, with Sam Moa adding a fifth try.
Warrington heaped more misery on the Rhinos, thumping the Super League champions 48-12.
Leeds were in front following a Ryan Hall effort, but Kevin Brown marked his 400th appearance by scoring his 150th try after Tom Lineham's superb solo score turned the tide, while Josh Charnley and Ben Murdoch-Masila also touched down in the first half.
The clinical Lineham and Charnley went over again in the second half, with Toby King and Bryson Goodwin also crossing as the Rhinos paid the price for poor defending which will be a huge concern to Kevin Sinfield ahead of the Super 8s Qualifiers.
Veteran prop Ben Westwood missed a straightforward conversion attempt which would have brought up Warrington's half-century, but they remain in the hunt for a double in Steve Price's first season at the helm.
