Betfred Super League Round 8
Easter Saturday 19 April 2025, Leopards Den (1:30pm)
Leigh Leopards 18-14 Warrington Wolves
Leopards moved up to third in the Betfred Super League table after an exciting Rivals Round victory over Warrington Wolves at the Leopards Den.
The two teams will meet again in the Challenge Cup semi-final in three weeks’ time and that game promises to be an absolute cracker.
Adrian Lam’s Leopards turned on the style to lead 18-2 halfway through the second half but then had to see out a nervy 11 minutes to secure the points.
Tries by Edwin Ipape, and second row pairing Ethan O’Neill and Frankie Halton had the Leopards seemingly sitting pretty, especially as Gareth O’Brien added all three conversions. Lachlan Lam was at his creative best and involved in everything, while Wolves missed their influential playmaker George Williams through injury.
Leopards also had two tries disallowed by video referee Chris Kendall despite on field referee Tom Grant giving the try on each occasion.
After March Sneyd gave the Wolves a ninth-minute lead with a penalty, David Armstrong sliced over from Lachlan Lam’s pass only for his try to be chalked off for Halton’s obstruction of Rodrick Tai. Lam then had a brilliant effort disallowed, after he kicked ahead, as Gareth O’Brien was ruled to have obstructed a defender.
After holding firm in an intense forward battle, Leopards were rewarded when Lam again took on the close-range defence and slipped a brilliant back-handed pass for Ipape to score.
Leopards stepped up the intensity in the second half and seemingly took control. Ethan O’Neill, who was a stand-out in the pack, stretched out to score one handed after more great approach play by Lam.
Then Darnell McIntosh intercepted deep in his own half and set up a thrilling counterattack, ended by Halton striding over on the left.
Wolves hit back when Sneyd’s pinpoint kick set up Toby King. Then King and Matt Dufty fashioned a long distance move that Matty Ashton finished.
That set up a frantic finish but Leopards had deserved the points, and they saw out the game.
Isaac Liu on his 300th senior game and Jack Hughes on his 350th game both made great contributions to a terrific team performance with Josh Charnley returning after injury to make his usual valuable contribution.
Armstrong was taken off at halftime as a precaution after a leg injury but Bailey Hodgson, fast becoming a massively valuable player, switched effortlessly into the fullback role.
Leopards
David Armstrong; Darnell McIntosh, Keanan Brand, Bailey Hodgson, Josh Charnley; Gareth O’Brien, Lachlan Lam; Owen Trout, Edwin Ipape, Robbie Mulhern, Ethan O’Neill, Frankie Halton, Isaac Liu
Bench:
Matty Davis, Alec Tuitavake, Jack Hughes, Aaron Pene. 18th man: Ben McNamara
Tries:
Ipape (34), O’Neill (44), Halton (59)
Goals:
O’Brien 3/ 3
Wolves
Matt Dufty; Josh Thewlis, Roderick Tai, Toby King, Matty Ashton; Danny Walker, Marc Sneyd; Luke Yates, Sam Powell, Paul Vaughan, Dan Russell, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Ben Currie
Bench:
Joe Philbin, Jordy Crowther, Zane Musgrove, Max Wood, 18th player: Adam Holroyd
Tries:
King (62), Ashton (69)
Goals:
Sneyd 3/ 3
Referee: Tom Grant; Video Referee: Chris Kendall; Touch judges: R Cox & J Roberts; M Com: Keith Leyland; Reserve referee: P Marklove; Time keeper: Aylene Mills
Scoring sequence: 0-2, 6-2 (ht) 12-2, 18-2, 18=8, 18-14
Attendance: 9,627
Penalty count: 3-8
GLDO: 1-0
Main Match sponsor: Luelle Projects Ltd
Player of the Match sponsor: Cal (awarded to Ethan O’Neill)
Match Ball sponsor: LGH Plumbing & Heating Ltd
Champagne Moment sponsor: Simon Unsworth (awarded to Lachlan Lam for his assist for Edwin Ipape’s try)
Official Kit partner: Reebok
