WIGAN Warriors put a young Warrington Wolves side to the sword as they scored more than a point a minute in the latest round of the BetFred Super League.
If the 82-0 scoreline didn’t quite reflect the effort of the visitors – especially in defence, it did highlight the Warriors’ new-found ruthlessness under the guidance of Wigan legend Denis Betts this season.
But the frustration is that Warrington were the partly responsible for their own downfall, whether it was making mistakes in their own half to gift their opponents points or spilling the ball close to the Wigan try line to get off the mark themselves. Without these errors, the scoreline could – and should – have been less flattering for the home side.
The game was played at Leigh Miners Rangers’ home at Sutton Park due to work being carried out at Robin Park, but the upheaval did little to distract the hosts in wrapping up the points.
In fact, it was the Wire who faced late disruption when hooker Jasmine Wilson withdrew from the squad with illness, meaning Academy starlet Imogen Roberts was promoted to the bench to join Talicia Blythe for their first starts of the season.
With the team already decimated through injury, illness and suspension, it also meant a first appearance in 2024 for Liv Hill, deputising in the front row for Wilson.
But, with the likes of first teamers Sammi Simpson, Emily Baggaley and Shannon Stephens all watching from the sidelines, the young Wire appeared to have made a decent start with a strong defensive set from the kick off and a strong set with ball in hand.
However, in what has become a familiar tale in the latter half of the season, the Wire defence was too easily drawn into the middle to leave the edges exposed and give Molly Jones the easiest of tries in the fourth minute. Isabel Rowe added the extras to give Wigan a lead they never in any danger of losing.
Poor discipline cost Wire the next try, with consecutive penalties conceded to march Wigan upfield and allow Anna Davies to race in unopposed down the left for an unconverted score on nine minutes.
Wire looked to have gained as foothold in the game with some powerful tackling forcing a couple of handling errors, but just as it looked like they might take advantage a mistake of their own let Rowe in under the sticks. Her kick took the scoreline to 16-0 meaning the visitors had already conceded a point a minute.
When Davies fumbled the restart in her own 20, there was a glimmer of hope for the visitors as well as a first glimpse of the Wigan tryline. But when Milly Bell couldn’t quite take the ball in with the line at her mercy, the chance had gone and just moments later Emma Knowles was diving in at the corner to extend the lead.
Louise Fellingham and Georgia Bogg feel the crunch
Further converted scores from Ellise Derbyshire and Grace Banks gave Wigan a 32-0 lead before the half hour mark, with Eva Hunter capping a fine first half display with a try of her own then Davies from inside her own half after Blythe had missed a glorious chance to score on her debut to take the home side into the break with a comfortable 42-0 cushion.
Warrington head coach Armani Sharrock had to shuffle the team around early in the second half, moving winger Rebecca Nixon to full-back after Nicole Barnett was forced off with concussion. New signing Chelsea Newton was also replaced due to injury.
The second half started much as the first had ended, with Derbyshire gathering the Wigan short kick off to launch an attack ending with Ruby Hunter crashing over by the posts. Davies completed her hat-trick and Rowe added another before the heavens opened making handling trickier than ever but doing little to dampen the Warriors attack.
A fumble by Wire skipper Katie May Williams on her own line opened the door for Cerys Jones to capitalise, and there was still time for Banks and sisters Eva and Ruby Hunter to add to their own personal tallies to take the final score to 82-0.
But, despite the scoreline, Sharrock was delighted with her young charges.
She said: “It was tough out there today but credit to the youngsters and the inexperienced players we had out there against a strong Wigan side.
“The score doesn’t flatter us and I think the effort wasn’t reflected out there. We had eight that have come through the Academy that have pulled on the shirt and gone out there so we’re really proud of the girls.
“We are struggling with injuries and suspensions at the minute and having Jasmine pull out in the warm-up doesn’t help us either but credit to Liv who stepped up well.
“The girls who stepped in went well and held their own, but it is hard to adjust at this level.
“We learn a lot about ourselves on days like this so hopefully when we get more experienced bodies back the want and desire we have shown over the past few games will see us right.”
Warrington:
3 Nicole Barnett FB
21 Lauren Ellison W
33 Albany D-Coates C
36 Chelsea Newton C
5. Rebecca Nixon W
6 Millie Bell SO
17 Louise Fellingham SH
20 Helena Turner P
25 Olivia Webb H
10 Grace Burnett P
11 KMW SR
29 Georgia Bogg
26 Ellie JelvesInterchanges
24 Olivia Hill
16 Megan Condliffe
37 Talicia Blythe
Imogen RobertsWigan
1 Grace Banks
3 Anna Davies
39 Georgia Wilson
4 Molly Jones
5 Elise Derbyshire
32 Isabel Rowe
7 Emma Knowles
10 Holly Speakman
33 Carys Marsh
12 Mary Coleman
11 Eva Hunter
13 Victoria Molyneux
14 Rachel ThompsonSubs
21 Jade Gregory-Haselden
23 Kaitlin Hilton
40 Ruby Hunter
17 Cerys Jones18th player: Abbie-Marie Singleton
