Warriors progress in Challenge Cup

[josie andrews]

Warriors progress in Challenge Cup


* Match Report as Wigan Warriors beat Sheffield Eagles to progress in the Betfred Challenge Cup.

* Sheffield held Wigan at the interval but Wigan pulled ahead after the break scoring 8 tries in all.

* FT | Wigan Warriors 44 – 18 Sheffield Eagles.

WIGAN WARRIORS MADE 3 CHANGES FROM THE SIDE THAT BEAT SALFORD THE PREVIOUS WEEK. RYAN HAMPSHIRE WAS NAMED AS FULL BACK IN PLACE OF JAI FIELD AND JUNIOR NSEMBA IN PLACE OF WILLIE ISA. KRUISE LEEMING WAS NAMED ON THE BENCH AFTER RECOVERING FROM AN ANKLE INJURY HE PICKED UP IN THE WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE WIN OVER PENRITH.

Sheffield Eagles arrived at the DW Stadium unbeaten in 2024 with the Eagles beating both York and Swinton to earn their sixth round place in the competition.

Harry Smith started the game off as Wigan attacked the North End of the DW Stadium. Referee Vella penalised Wigan three times in the opening minutes giving the Eagles the opportunity to attack the Wigan line and Wigan were forced to drop out when Abbas Miski was trapped in goal.

Sheffield proved they were a well drilled side but Wigan’s penalty count which was stifling their attacking opportunities.

Wigan broke the deadlock on 16 minutes when Bevan French weaved his way through the Sheffield defence as only he can and touched down under the posts. Harry Smith added the two with ease.

Bevan French was proving a real handful for the Eagles defence and forced Marsh into a knock on, on his own line. From the resulting scrum the ball went through three pairs of hands before finding Liam Marshall who crashed over for a try. Harry Smith’s conversion veered wide of the target but Wigan led 10-0 on 25 minutes.

Sheffield hit back straight away when full back Matty Marsh forced his way over the line. Cory Ashton, son of Eagles Coach Mark Aston, converted and made it a four point game at 10-6 on the half hour.

The visitors were buoyed by their score and then moved level when winger Matty Dawson-Jones levelled the scores with a well taken try on the left edge. Cory Aston converted from the touchline to give the visitors a 10-12 lead on 37 minutes.

The try fired up the Warriors who attacked in numbers. Sheffield’s rear guard action was resolute but then resulted in two quickly conceded penalties with Oliver Roberts being sent to the sin bin. Harry Smith kicked a penalty goal to see the scores level at 12-12 at the break.

Wigan attacked from the off and Jake Wardle scored a well taken try on the left edge within seconds of the restart. Harry Smith’s conversion attempt was wide of the target but Wigan led 16-12.

Wigan were starting to play with more composure but the game was held up for a long period whilst Matty Marsh received attention for a head knock.

On 48 minutes Wigan Bevan French capitalised on an error by the Eagles defence to score his second try of the game. Harry Smith’s conversion was wide of the target but the Warriors led 20-12. Following the try Oliver Roberts returned from the sin bin which had proved costly as Wigan had scored two tries in absence.

Ryan Hampshire had a try ruled out on 53 minutes when he single handedly took on the Eagles defence but referee Vella adjudged that crossing had taken place in the build-up.

Bevan French completed his hat-trick on 58 minutes when he heard the claxon sound for ‘six again’. The Eagles defence seemed to freeze and Bevan scorched his way to the line. Harry Smith converted from in front of the posts and Wigan led 26-12.

The Eagles, who wouldn’t lie down, created a well worked try on 62 minutes with Evan Hodgson touching down as Cory Aston converted again and the gap had closed to 26-18.

Wigan countered and Junior Nsemba looked to have scored but the effort was ruled out for another alleged obstruction.

On 70 minutes Wigan put together one of their best moves of the game with Kruise Leeming finishing off a sweeping attacking move. Harry Smith converted from in front of the posts to give Wigan a fourteen point lead at 32-18.

Wigan pressed on and Patrick Mago scored one of his trademark tries on 75 minutes when he powered his way over the line. Harry Smith added the extras to give Wigan a 38-18 lead.

Liam Marshall scored his second and Wigan’s eighth try of the game two minutes later. Harry Smith added the conversion from the touchline to increase Wigan’s lead to 44-18 and helped Wigan into the hat for the Quarter Final Draw.

Wigan Warriors: Ryan Hampshire, Abbas Miski, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Luke Thompson, Brad O’Neill, Liam Byrne, Junior Nsemba, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis.

Interchange: Patrick Mago, Kruise Leeming, Tyler Dupree, Harvie Hill.

18th Player: Zach Eckersley

Tries: French (16′, 48′, 58′) Marshall (25′, 77′) Wardle (41′), Leeming (70′), Mago (75′).

Goals: Smith 6/9

Sheffield Eagles: Matty Marsh, Ryan Millar, Kris Welham, James Glover, Matty Dawson-Jones, Cory Aston, Jack Hansen, Eddie Battye, Vila Halafihi, Tyler Dickinson, Aaron Murphy, Connor Bower, Titus Gwaze.

Interchange: Evan Hodgson, Lewis Peachey, Oliver Roberts, Izaac Farrell.

18th Player: Ben Jones-Bishop.

Sin Bin: Oliver Roberts (39′)

Tries: Marsh (26′), Dawson-Jones (37′), Hodgson (62′)

Goals: Aston 3/3

Referee: James Vella

Attendance: 5,733

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/03/ ... lenge-cup/

[josie andrews]

Peet: A real contest

* Matt Peet spoke to the press following Wigan’s win over Sheffield Eagles on Friday night.

* Peet: “We were below our best but I wouldn’t like to take too much away from Sheffield, they made a real contest of it.”

* FT | Wigan Warriors 44-18 Sheffield Eagles.

MATT PEET REFLECTED AFTER HIS SIDE BATTLED AGAINST SHEFFIELD EAGLES TO PROGRESS IN THE BETFRED CHALLENGE CUP.

Reflecting at the final hooter, Peet said: “Credit to Sheffield for the way they attacked the game. They were good, they made a real contest of it but their form so far coming into this game, we knew that they would.

“We were below our best but I wouldn’t like to take too much away from Sheffield, they made a real contest of it.”

“I think we’ll move on pretty quick from tonight,” Peet added.

Kruise Leeming returned to the field for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in the Betfred World Club Challenge, as he made a try-scoring appearance: “It was good to see him back out there, he was involved in some of our better moments and he’ll certainly be better for having another game under his belt.”

Quizzed on his half time thoughts, the Head Coach said: “The players did quite a bit of the talking about things in the first half and how we could fix them and I thought to a degree we did that in the second half.”

Read the match report for Friday’s win over Sheffield Eagles HERE.

Matt Peet is sponsored by Wigan Warriors Lotto Agents.

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/03/ ... l-contest/