Super League’s Easter period has thrown up plenty of classic matches down the years and Wigan and St Helens did their best to keep up with tradition in a Good Friday tussle for the ages.
When the 34 players who took part in this titanic battle wake up on Saturday morning they could be excused for feeling more than a little sore. This was a game that proved just how intense the rivalry between the two sides is, as Wigan edged out the defending champions 12-4 to go some way towards avenging last year’s Grand Final defeat at the hands of Saints.
Played out in front of the third highest crowd for a regular season fixture in Super League history, the 343rd meeting of the rivals was, on occasions, eye-watering. The intensity alone made it the most unmissable game of the season, and the result continued Wigan’s remarkable relationship with Easter, as well as revitalising their season.
The Warriors have not lost on Good Friday since 2009, with this their sixth consecutive Easter victory against the Saints. They now head to Salford on Easter Monday looking to keep up their remarkable record on that day as well – having won 84-6 in each of the last two seasons against Hull Kingston Rovers and Bradford Bulls.
“I’m very proud of our Easter record and to keep it going against a team of this class is very pleasing,” said the triumphant coach, Shaun Wane. “It was a real arm wrestle out there and I’m very proud of the boys because St Helens stayed with us for a long time.”
However much it was ultimately Wigan’s day, this was a bruising and impressive effort by the champions. Having lost their captain, Jon Wilkin, to a hamstring injury on the eve of the game, Saints were forced to run with a makeshift half-back pairing of Jordan Turner and Lance Hohaia.
They also suffered further injury setbacks during the game, with both the stand-in captain, Paul Wellens, and young forward Joe Greenwood leaving the field with knocks.
The short turnaround makes Easter tricky to navigate but, if they take their never-say-die spirit from this game into Monday’s match against Hull FC, few would back against them bouncing back with a win.
“I thought it was a brilliant effort,” said the St Helens coach, Keiron Cunningham. “To lose so many players and put yourselves in the position of being in the game for over 70 minutes is incredible. These games are always super games and the players certainly didn’t let us down today.”
That only three tries were scored in the match emphasises how intense the game was from start to finish. The first of those came after 52 seconds, as Wigan surged into a lead they would never surrender. Turner’s first kick of the game in an unfamiliar position was poor and after Lee Mossop charged it down Dom Manfredi collected and marked his new four-year contract with the Warriors by touching down.
St Helens bounced back in style after absorbing plenty of Wigan pressure and their standout performer, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, was the man who brought them back into the game. The 29-year-old filled in at a number of positions all afternoon and he scored what proved to be the visitors’ only try when he crashed over from close rangeafter a great ball from James Roby.
The game was largely played out in midfield after that, as both teams refused to give an inch in the most hostile of environments. The tension and nerves in the stands were being transmitted on to the pitch and it seemed only an error would bring more points. After crafting some rare field position following yet more outstanding defence, Wigan struck the game’s telling blow when George Williams’ pinpoint kick found the winger Joe Burgess, who not only sealed two vital points but gave the home side the first bragging rights of the season.
Wigan Hampshire; Manfredi, Gelling, Sarginson, Burgess; Williams, Smith; Clubb, McIlorum, Mossop, J Tomkins, Farrell, Bateman.
Interchange Tautai, Patrick, L Tomkins, Sutton.
Tries Manfredi, Burgess Goals Smith, Hampshire.
St Helens Wellens; Makinson, Dawson, Jones, Swift; Turner, Hohaia; Amor, Roby, Walmsley, Greenwood, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Thompson.
Interchange Masoe, Richards, Flanagan, Savelio
Try McCarthy-Scarsbrook
Referee P Bentham Att 24,054
