Wigan beat Catalans to cut Hull KR lead at top

Zach Eckersley (centre) has scored nine tries for Wigan Warriors this season

Betfred Super League

Wigan (16) 28

Tries: Wardle, Farrimond, Leeming, Eckersley, O'Neill Goals: Smith 4

Catalans (0) 18

Try: Rouge, Makinson, Da Costa Goal: Aispuro-Bichet 3

Wigan Warriors moved within two points of Super League leaders Hull KR following a five-try win over Catalans Dragons at the Brick Community Stadium.

The reigning champions were without this season's leading try-scorer Jai Field due to concussion protocols and still missing star stand-off Bevan French through injury, but young players Jack Farrimond and Zach Eckersley stepped into the breach with fine tries.

With Jake Wardle, Kruise Leeming and Brad O'Neill all adding scores, the Warriors always had their noses in front against a Dragons outfit which had former Wigan player Joel Tomkins in charge for the first time since signing a new deal until 2027 earlier this week.

The Dragons showed plenty of spirit and hit back with tries from Cesar Rouge, Tommy Makinson and Alrix da Costa in a promising second half, but the task facing Tomkins is evident as they have now won just once in their past 12 in all competitions.

Warriors were hardly back to their vintage best but they were always the more penetrative attacking outfit, and their defence was much better than it was in last week's shock home defeat by Hull FC.

That was largely because winger Christian Wade, who was targeted by the Airlie Birds leading to an error-strewn afternoon, was left out of the matchday squad.

Wardle took a sharp offload from Liam Marshall to open the scoring, against the run of play as Catalans had four sets of six deep in Wigan territory in the opening 15 minutes without finding a way through.

Warriors fans might have wondered who would provide the magic in the absence of both French and Field, and it was 19-year-old Farrimond, back in action after a hamstring problem, who came up with the answer.

The promising half-back split the defence with a delicate grubber kick, dribbled it towards the line and then picked up for a cheeky try right out of the Bevan playbook.

Rouge missed another Catalans chance to get a toehold in the game when he opted to kick ahead when one-on-one with Eckersley, but made a mess of it.

The hosts then made the visitors pay for their profligacy as Leeming finished a superb team try under the posts to establish a 16-0 half-time lead.

Wigan had lost three of their previous five games, so a win was more important than performance and Catalans made it tough throughout, edging out the second half.

Rouge darted over as the Dragons exerted more pressure on the Wigan line, but that set the scene for Eckersley's moment. The 21-year-old joined the line at pace and streaked over in the style of Field, who he replaced at full-back for this game.

Theo Fages' pass over the top sent Makinson over for a milestone try, his 196th in Super League and putting him level in sixth place with Jermaine McGillivary in the all-time list.

But again Wigan responded as O'Neill dashed over from a play-the-ball close to the line.

Catalans had the last say as a video review overturned Jack Smith's on-field decision of "no try" as Da Costa forced his way over amid a ruck of tacklers, but it was not enough to prevent a sixth straight defeat in meetings between these two.

Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

"I'm pleased with the first half, disappointed with the second. It's two points and we've come away healthy so I've got to take advantage of that but the second half didn't sit right with me.

"We're just going to have to improve. That's always our ethos but we can't keep saying it.

"The culture of the team, it doesn't matter who's playing, they've got to have the standard and it's important that we're at that standard."

Wigan: Eckersley; Douglas, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; Farrimond, Smith; Havard, O'Neill, Dupree, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.

Interchanges: Mago, Byrne, Leeming, Hill.

Catalans: Aispuro-Bichet; Makinson, Laguerre, Darrelatour, Yaha; Rouge, Fages; Sims, Da Costa, Bousquet, Sironen, Garcia, Partington.

Interchanges: Satae, Navarrete, Maria, Balmforth.

Referee: Jack Smith.