Wigan stay top as Leeds suffer play-offs setback

Betfred Super League

Wigan (14) 38

Tries: Wardle, French (2), Marshall, Ellis, Miski, Keighran Goals: Keighran (5)

Leeds (0) 0

Wigan Warriors remain in pole position to win the League Leaders' Shield after brushing aside Leeds Rhinos with a seven-try show.

The Warriors still need to win their remaining regular-season game, at home to Salford Red Devils next week, to clinch top spot in Super League but they were in red-hot form against a Rhinos side whose play-off hopes took a blow.

Wigan began brilliantly, with Jake Wardle’s spectacular try and further scores from the brilliant Bevan French (2), Liam Marshall and Kaide Ellis putting them firmly in control.

Leeds, who had won four of their previous five matches, were rarely in the contest, and the only way they can nail a top-six place is by hoping rivals lose and they win away next week against second-placed Hull KR, the only team who can still catch Wigan.

Leeds have revitalised their season under new coach Brad Arthur, but they ran into a Wigan side that has now won five on the bounce since they were surprised 30-4 by the Rhinos at Headingley five weeks ago.

Bevan French scored two tries for Wigan Warriors as they thrashed Leeds Rhinos

The memory of that shock was still fresh as Wigan were out of the blocks like lightning, scoring two tries in the first eight minutes.

The first was quite stunning. For once, the influential Harry Smith’s kick to the flank was slightly overhit but winger Marshall showed balletic qualities to leap over the touchline and somehow flipped the ball back over his head for Wardle, who produced a diving one-handed finish tight in the corner.

With their tails up, Wigan roared forward again as Ellis raced clear, and with three men in support, slipped a pass for French to go under the posts.

Leeds showed some of the steel that Arthur has introduced to fight their way back into the game but they ran into a defence in uncompromising mood.

Just before half-time, Wardle returned Marshall’s earlier favour with a lovely flipped pass to give the competition’s leading try scorer his 25th of the campaign.

Wigan were relentless in the second half as Leeds wilted under the constant pressure, as the power of replacement Patrick Mago, the delicacy of Smith, and the irresistible running of Jai Field and French gave them no respite.

Ellis scored his first try of the season, crashing through a gap in the Leeds defence, and Miski ran on to a sharp dabbed kick from Smith for another score.

Keighran added to the rout by grabbing Smith’ dainty lob to go over, and French was the beneficiary of another assist from his half-back partner's boot for his second try of the night in the closing minutes.

Wigan Warriors' Kaide Ellis is congratulated by team-mate Liam Byrne (right) on scoring his first try of the season

Wigan head coach Matt Peet said:

“We will always look at the areas where we can improve and what we’ve learned from the game, even from the things we did well.

“The season is all about learning, so we will take plenty from tonight in terms of the team and also the individual performances.

“When you score 38 points against a good defensive team you’ve got to be pleased, but we just need to build on that fluidity with the the ball. When we play with bravery and courage that’s when we’re at our best.”

Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur told BBC Radio Leeds:

“We’ve been beaten by a way better side tonight. They dominated us physically right from the start, from one to 17 right across the field.

“They started fast and hard, we didn’t handle their physicality and through that hardly got any field position all night. In the first half we didn’t have one set that started in their half and in the second half it didn’t improve much.

“We need to make sure it’s a one-off. It’s not the way we want to finish our season, because we’ve been better than that, but it shows we have a lot to do in pre-season if we physically want to match that every week.”

Wigan: Field, Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Havard, Leeming, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.

Interchanges: Byrne, Mago, Dupree, Forber.

Leeds: Edgell, Fusitu'a, Momirovski, Newman, Lumb, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Sangare, McDonnell, Martin, Smith.

Interchanges: Lisone, Bentley, O'Connor, Donaldson.

Referee: Liam Moore