Betfred Super League Round 2
The Brick Community Stadium, Tuesday 6 August 2024 (8pm)
Wigan Warriors 28-6 Leigh Leopards
Wigan Warriors are the only Betfred Super League team that the Leopards haven’t beaten in the past 18 months and the visitors’ hopes of completing a full set were virtually ended inside the first 16 minutes of the latest Battle of the Borough.
Jack Hughes was sinbinned for a high tackle in the seventh minute and while he was off the field the shorthanded Leopards leaked two tries.
Junior Nsemba’s big arcing run eluded the over-worked defence before Jake Wardle capitalised on a Leopards handling error, exchanged passes with Liam Marshall and romped over.
10-0 down and struggling to compete against Wigan’s physicality and near perfect completion rate the Leopards compounded their problems with a high error count.
Adam Keighran glided through a static Leopards defence after a 40-metre scrum following another error in possession by the visitors.
Then Harry Smith’s high kick forced a goal-line drop-out and Patrick Mago burst over from close range to open a commanding 22-0 interval lead.
Hughes and Brad Dwyer both went close to piercing the Warriors defence but rarely did the Leopards manage any sustained periods of pressure in a disappointing first half display.
Second half the Leopards improved markedly, played with more determination, began to match the home side’s physicality and display some forceful attacking moves. Suddenly the world champions didn’t look anything like as impressive, though they appeared to be coasting after their first half excellence.
Lachlan Lam finished off a superb Kai O’Donnell break and offload for a converted try four minutes after the re-start, determined as he squirmed his way over in a three-man tackle.
Leopards might have added to their score on several occasions, notably when Darnell McIntosh was denied a try by the video referee Ben Thaler. Referee Chris Kendall had gone to the screen signalling the Leopards’ winger’s acrobatic finish was in his opinion a try.
Wigan contented themselves with a solitary second half score, Harvie Hill reacting first to a kick behind the Leopards line, Keighran adding his fourth conversion.
Warriors went back to the top of Super League and after this Round 2 fixture, postponed to accommodate their World Club Challenge against Penrith, was finally played the table now looks clearer.
With seven games remaining, four at home, Leopards are five points off the play-off places after their first defeat in five.
They return to the Leopards Den this Sunday when Hull FC are the visitors (3pm).
Warriors
26 Zach Eckersley; 2 Abbas Miski, 3 Adam Keighran, 4 Jake Wardle, 5 Liam Marshall; 23 Ryan Hampshire, 7 Harry Smith; 8 Ethan Havard, 17 Kruise Leeming, 16 Luke Thompson, 21 Junior Nsemba, 12 Liam Farrell (capt), 13 Kaide Ellis
Bench:
15 Patrick Mago, 19 Tyler Dupree, 22 Sam Walters, 20 Harvie Hill. 18th player: 10 Liam Byrne (not used)
Tries:
Nsemba (9), Wardle (16), Keighran (34), Mago (39), Hill (56)
Goals:
Keighran 4/ 5
Leopards
6 Matt Moylan; 24 Darnell McIntosh, 24 Umyla Hanley, 4 Ricky Leutele, 5 Josh Charnley; 12 Jack Hughes, 7 Lachlan Lam; 17 Owen Trout, 9 Edwin Ipape, 10 Robbie Mulhern, 11 Kai O’Donnell, 16 Frankie Halton, 13 John Asiata (capt)
Bench:
33 Brad Dwyer, 3 Zak Hardaker, 35 Aaron Pene, 15 Matt Davis. 18th player: 30 Luis Brogan (not used)
Try:
Lam (44)
Goals:
McIntosh 1/ 1
Sin bin: Hughes (7) high tackle
Scoring sequence: 6-0, 10-0, 16-0, 22-0 (ht) 22-6, 28-6
Referee: Chris Kendall; Touch judges: J Roberts & M Griffiths; Reserve referee: Warren Turley; Match commissioner: Keith Leyland; Timekeeper: R Safi. Video referee: Ben Thaler
Penalty count: 5-6
GLDO: 1-2
Attendance: 13,249
