Wigan Warriors achieved their third consecutive derby victory over St Helens in a recent Super League match. The game marked the beginning of the post-Paul Rowley era for St Helens, who experienced a defeat.
Rowley departed St Helens on Thursday after less than a year in his role, with the team reportedly out of form. Under the interim leadership of Eamon O’Carroll, St Helens were defeated by Wigan for the second time in the league this term and the second time this month.
Match Highlights
Jack Welsby opened the scoring for St Helens. Bevan French soon responded for Wigan, but Jacob Douglas restored St Helens‘ lead. Wigan then took control, with Zach Eckersley and Oliver Partington each scoring twice. Adam Keighran also scored a try for Wigan, before Lewis Murphy scored for St Helens.
Wigan‘s victory places them level with Super League leaders Leeds Rhinos on 30 points. However, due to Wakefield‘s win against Castleford, Wigan Warriors moved to third in the table. Meanwhile, St Helens have now lost seven of their past 11 games across all competitions.
Under Rowley‘s tenure, St Helens had secured a derby win earlier in the season at Easter. However, a defeat in the Challenge Cup semi-final and a narrow loss at the Magic Weekend meant Wigan entered this latest encounter with momentum.
St Helens initially took the lead within the first five minutes when Welsby scored after Harry Smith failed to stop his run. Wigan quickly equalised with French scoring. Douglas then scored for St Helens, but Wigan responded with Eckersley touching down in the corner.
Wigan further extended their lead when French set up Eckersley for his 30th try of the season. A try by St Helens‘ Harry Robertson was disallowed after a video review, despite being initially awarded by referee Liam Moore.
Second Half Action
After the break, Wigan maintained pressure, leading to Partington scoring. Jackson Hastings of St Helens was sin-binned against his former club for pulling back French, preventing a potential try.
Partington scored a second try, and Keighran also scored for Wigan. Murphy scored for St Helens with nine minutes remaining.
Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet commented on the win, stating satisfaction with the two points and the team’s health. He noted that St Helens were determined, which was the kind of game he anticipated. Peet also mentioned that Bevan French would benefit from the game and contributes significantly to the team.
St Helens interim coach Eamon O’Carroll expressed pride in his team’s response to adversity both before and during the game. He highlighted the effort and intent shown by the team, which he believes they can build upon. O’Carroll observed the team’s unity during the week and was proud of their commitment to playing for the jersey, emphasizing the need to maintain this for the rest of the season.
Team Line-ups
The Wigan team included: Field, Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Partington, Ellis, Kerr. Interchanges were Walters, Mago, Hodkinson, O’Connor.
For St Helens, the line-up featured: Welsby, Murphy, Sailor, Davies, Douglas, Robertson, Hastings, Host, Burns, Suluka-Fifita, Cartwright, Wright, Shorrocks. Interchanges were Delaney, Sinclair, Humphreys, Evans. The referee for the match was Liam Moore.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Lucy Ashby is a Sports Reporter at NewsGB. She reported on the county circuit and Team GB. She focuses on tennis, cricket and athletics and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from Durham University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Durham, she plays club cricket and follows distance running. “The best sport reporting starts by listening.”
