Super League: Wigan Warriors 48-4 Catalans Dragons - Warriors claim eight tries to finish second
- Published
Harry Smith succeeded with all eight of his conversions as Wigan Warriors overpowered Catalans Dragons
Betfred Super League |
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Wigan (24) 48 |
Tries: Smith, Ellis, Marshall 2, French 2, Havard, Bibby Goals: Smith 8 |
Catalans (0) 4 |
Try: Drinkwater |
Wigan Warriors finished the regular Super League season by crushing fellow play-off participants Catalans Dragons.
Harry Smith rewarded Wigan's strong start with a try after seven minutes.
Fielding 10 debutants, the visitors competed creditably until Kaide Ellis collected an Ethan Havard pass to go over for his second try of the season.
Winger Liam Marshall scored twice in six minutes as Wigan ran riot to end the half 24-0 ahead, and they added another 24 points after the break.
The only bright spot for Catalans at the DW Stadium was sloppy play from Wigan allowing Josh Drinkwater to score the first points of the second half.
But from then on it was one-way traffic once again. Bevan French scored twice to take his personal tally to 31 tries this season and Havard and Jake Bibby joined in the rout.
Smith had a flawless evening in front of the posts, adding eight goals to his team's eight tries.
The only real note of concern for Wigan was the premature departure of Cade Cust with his left arm in a sling after dropping the ball with a painful-looking injury.
Wigan were already guaranteed second place in the table before the game and will host the highest-ranked eliminator winner in the play-off semi-finals on 16 September.
Fifth-placed Salford, sixth-placed Leeds and seventh-placed Castleford all play on Saturday, with two of those three clubs claiming the final play-off places.
Dragons will finish fourth and play the team in fifth for the right to take on Wigan.
Wigan: Field, French, Pearce-Paul, J. Bibby, Marshall, Cust, Smith, Singleton, O'Neill, Ellis, Isa, Bateman, Smithies.
Interchanges: Leuluai, Mago, Havard, Cooper.
Catalans: Franco, Parenti, Romano, Jobe, Zenon, Rouge, Drinkwater, Cozza, Le Cam, Laurent, T. Chan, Tison, Scimone.
Interchanges: Salabio, Llong, Ribas, Castano.
Referee: James Child.