Wigan thump Catalans to keep pace with leaders

Betfred Super League

Catalans (0) 0

Wigan (20) 48

With a clinical, if not dazzling, display in Perpignan, the Wigan Warriors fought off Dragons and Catalans to move within two points of Super League leaders Hull KR.

Les Dracs had plenty of the ball in Joel Tomkins’ first game as interim head coach, but Jai Field, Sam Walters, and Liam Marshall each scored with a score of 20-0 after the break.

The Warriors were 36 points clear going into the last quarter thanks to scores from Kruise Leeming, Junior Nsemba, and Marshall.

Clement Martin made his debut at the age of 20 after Steve McNamara’s spell with the eighth-placed Dragons was ended by a 40-0 hammering at St Helens.

The hosts struggled to overcome some obstinate defense after dominating the first half for extended periods of time. In contrast, a subpar Wigan won the Super League for the seventh time in a row.

When Field ran 40 metres to the posts for his 15th try of the season in all competitions, Catalans fell behind after four furious minutes.

Adam Keighran converted eight of his nine penalty kicks, which gave the Warriors an even greater advantage.

When Marshall sprinted into vast spaces and gave Walters a simple scoring passing inside, it appeared to be too easy for Wigan.

The champions were ruthless and opportunistic in their attack, but they also had a habit of making mistakes, once slogging up three repeat sets of their own half.

Catalans, however, did not take advantage of the gifts, and instead remained even longer after Marshall intercepted Theo Fages’ long pass and sprinted 90 meters to the line.

Following the break, Wigan made their first attack, Jake Wardle’s brilliant run, and Leeming’s simple score, with a simple score.

Nsemba added a fifth try after finishing with a superb 20-metre cut-out pass for Marshall’s second try on the hour.

Rouge, Seguier, Dezaria, and Maria swap.

Wigan: Field, Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Wardle, Marshall, Marshall, French, Smith, Byrne, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis, and others.

Havard, Mago, Leeming, Walters, and others.