Betfred Challenge Cup Sixth Round
Leopards Den, Saturday 23rd March 2024 (2pm)
Leigh Leopards 26-14 Featherstone Rovers
Leigh Leopards began their defence of the Challenge Cup they won at Wembley Stadium last August, overcoming a resilient and impressive Featherstone Rovers side at the Leopards Den.
Umyla Hanley’s sizzling first half hat-trick and second half tries by Josh Charnley and Matt Moylan were just enough to see Leopards through to Monday night’s quarter-final draw after a far from convincing display.
With ten of their Wembley side in the 17, Leopards relied on Hanley’s opportunism and deft footwork to see them go into a 14-4 half-time on a chilly afternoon.
But after young Rovers winger Manoa Wacokecoke scored his second spectacular try of the game early in the second half to narrow the gap to just four points, it took the introduction of Wembley hero Lachlan Lam to spark Leopards into life.
Lam made an immediate impact on his return from the nasty leg gash he suffered in the last home game against Leeds which needed 15 stitches and forced him to miss last week’s 54-4 win at Hull.
Lam’s speed of thought and eye for an opening saw him combine with the outstanding Ricky Leutele to provide Josh Charnley with the chance for a typically spectacular finish by the left corner flag at the North Strand end.
Three minutes later Leutele was twice involved in a move that saw Moylan glide over for what should have been the game clinching try.
But Rovers finished the stronger and set up a nervy finish when Gareth Gale burst over on the left with nine minutes remaining. That meant seven of the game’s eight tries were scored by wingers.
Another try then and Rovers had still a chance of pulling the tie out of the bag but the Leopards survived another strong attacking set before Moylan’s penalty goal completed the action.
The first half had featured four fine winger’s tries, three by Hanley who showed great footwork, elusiveness, and balance to finish close range openings clinically.
Since getting into the team following Tom Briscoe’s injury he has scored five tries in three games and built on what his coaches reported was a hugely impressive preseason.
He relied on some great approach play by Moylan, Zak Hardaker and Jack Hughes but each try needed some scoring- and he did exactly that.
In terms of spectacular action, though, Wacokecoke’s opening try, a brilliant right ring run from deep inside his own half that showed strength, speed and tenacity marked the former Hull Academy player as one to watch in the Championship season.
And when Wacokecoke snapped up an interception and raced 60 metres for his second try Rovers spied an upset that took Lam’s arrival from the bench to douse.
Leopards lost Keanan Brand, playing his first game since towards the end of the 2022 season, to a medical tear which adds to their lengthy injury list.
Rovers lost their influential France B international halfback Thomas Lacans to an ankle injury but showed enough good things to suggest they will again challenge for honours at the top end of the Championship.
With a side much changed from last season’s League Leaders winning squad, Rovers’ big pack gave the Leopards a torrid time in the opening stages.
They had a spell of being down to 12 men with McKenzie Yei in the sin bin either side of half-time but finished strongly and played with great spirit and impetus throughout
Leopards
22 Keanan Brand; 24 Umyla Hanley, 3 Zak Hardaker, 4 Ricky Leutele, 5 Josh Charnley; 6 Matt Moylan, 21 Ben McNamara; 14 Dan Norman, 15 Matt Davis, 10 Robbie Mulhern (capt), 11 Kai O’Donnell, 16 Frankie Halton, 12 Jack Hughes.
Bench: 18 Ben Nakubuwai, 20 Oliver Holmes, 17 Owen Trout, 7 Lachlan Lam. 18th man 19 Ed Chamberlain (not used).
Tries: Hanley (3, 29, 37), Charnley (50), Moylan (53)
Goals: Moylan 3/ 6
Rovers
1 Caleb Aekins; 19 Manoa Wacokecoke, 3 Josh Hardcastle, 4 Greg Minikin, 5 Gareth Gale; 14 Harry Bowes, 7 Thomas Lacans; 8 Gadwin Springer, 9 Connor Jones, 15 Wellington Albert, 11 Brad Day, 20 Keenen Tomlinson, 13 Danny Addy.
Bench: 28 Paul Turner, 2 Connor Wynne, 16 McKenzie, 17 Brad England. 18th man: Oliver Farrar (not used)
Tries: Wacokecoke (20, 45), Gale (71)
Goals: Lacans 0/ 1, Addy 1/ 1, Wynne 0/ 1
Sin bin: Yei (35) lifting in tackle
Referee: Jack Smith; Touch-judges: C Worsley & E McCarthy; MC: R Safi; Timekeeper: P Taberner
Attendance: 4,287
Penalty count: 9-5
Scoring sequence: 4-0, 4-4, 10-4, 14-4 (ht) 14-10, 18-10, 24-10, 24-14, 26-14
PSL Plumbing & Heating Man of the Match: Ricky Leutele
