It is a sign of the standards Wigan Warriors have set in recent seasons that we are questioning whether or not the reigning Super League and world champions are stuttering as the business end of the season approaches, despite them sitting two points clear at the top of the table.
For the past month or so Matt Peet’s side have been very, well, unlike a Matt Peet side. Back-to-back defeats are a rarity since Peet took charge at the beginning of 2022, but it was the nature of those performances, coupled with a subpar win against Huddersfield last Thursday, that left you wondering what Wigan had left for the run-in to Old Trafford.
After all, this has already been a gruelling – and successful – year: with the World Club Challenge and the Challenge Cup already secured, Wigan are on the hunt for an unprecedented quadruple in 2024. Throw in injuries to key players such as Jai Field, Bevan French and Brad O’Neill, who were all missing here, and it is easy to perhaps find weaknesses in the Warriors’ armour of late.
So to that end, this was not only a much-needed victory but a performance that all associated with rugby league’s most famous club would have craved. Leigh Leopards, who have not won at the home of their local – so local, in fact, they both hail from the same borough – rivals since 1982, would argue their woeful opening half was in fact the difference here.
But as poor as Leigh were, Wigan were much more like themselves again. Four tries without reply opened up a 22-0 half-time cushion that the Leopards, despite an improved second-half display, never looked likely to overturn.
Junior Nsemba’s wonderful solo try opened the scoring after six minutes before Jake Wardle added a second soon after. With Leigh toiling, Wigan took full advantage in the moments before half-time, scoring again through Adam Keighran and Patrick Mago to establish a 22-point buffer. To Leigh’s credit, they were improved after the break.
But this defeat is damaging for them; it leaves them five points shy of the playoffs with seven rounds remaining. Time is now starting to run out for the Leopards. “It was a really tough night,” their coach, Adrian Lam, said. “I didn’t see that coming but the courage in the second half to turn up was better and I was proud of them for that.”
They did improve significantly after half-time, as Lam mentioned. But they only had Lachlan Lam’s solo try to show for their efforts despite a number of near misses in attack and when Harvie Hill scored on the hour for the hosts, the game was settled as a contest.
It all means that Wigan return to the top at the expense of Hull KR, with Warrington just a further two points back. We are set for a thrilling run-in to the finish line: but it’s a familiar side that leads the way once again.
