Wigan Warriors and St Helens are third and fourth in the Betfred Super League table after their respective victories over Hull FC and Bradford Bulls.
Harry Smith snatched a late victory for Wigan as resurgent Hull FC failed to take their chances in an absorbing Betfred Super League clash at the MKM Stadium.
Matt Peet’s men had looked out of sorts for much of the contest but typically stirred in the later stages as Adam Keighran hauled them level before Smith jinked through a tiring home defence to chisel out a 20-16 win.
It was harsh on the hosts, who had rebounded superbly from last week’s embarrassing home defeat to Wakefield and had deserved more than a six-point half-time lead.
Even the return of Bevan French to their starting line-up for the first time since March looked to have failed to inspire the visitors, who looked a shadow of the side that arrived in east Yorkshire having won their last three Super League games, scoring 150 points in the process.
As much as Wigan underwhelmed in the opening period, the hosts looked on point from the off and the only frustration for interim head coach Andy Last must have been their inability to make their half-time advantage much greater.
Wigan failed to complete sets and fumbled passes in a wholly uncharacteristic manner, and it was only a mixture of desperate defending and marginal calls against Tom Briscoe and Lewis Martin that kept them within touching distance.
Clearly still stinging from last week’s loss, Last’s men piled on the pressure from the start and it took just six minutes for them to trouble the scoreboard as Aidan Sezer’s neat pass sent Lewis Martin scything over in the corner.
Wigan’s day got worse as they lost Luke Thompson to injury after a quarter of an hour, and it required a typical moment of magic from French to stem the tide as his perfectly weighted pass sent Zach Eckersley in for his 14th try of the season.
Hull, however, were undaunted, and back in the lead within four minutes after a flopped pass from Patrick Mago handed the hosts the initiative just outside the Wigan 20 and they worked it right where Harvey Barron’s try, converted by Zak Hardaker, took the hosts to double figures.
Wigan seized a chance to reel themselves back within two points early in the second half when Field and Smith combined to send Noah Hodkinson over, but their momentum was stemmed by a strong response by the hosts, for whom Jed Cartwright wrestled down their third try.
Peet’s men, however, gradually ratcheted up the pressure. Keighran converted his own try then kicked a penalty to haul the scores level, and the scene was set for Smith to jink through and secure victory with seven minutes left.
St Helens dominate Bradford
St Helens outmuscled Bradford Bulls, taking a dominant 40-10 victory.
St Helens’ Joe Shorrocks scores a try
Saints fell behind early on but came back to take the lead by the break, courtesy of tries from Jacob Douglas and Curtis Sironen.
St Helens ultimately scored six tries to pick up a wide away win. Level with Wigan in the table on 22 points, points difference keeps the Warriors one place ahead of them.
The match did finish with a worrying injury. Bradford’s Will Gardiner had to stretchered from the field with what appeared to be a serious issue.
Leigh see off Toulouse
Josh Charnley scored four tries, with a first-half hat-trick, as Leigh saw off Toulouse 40-16 at a sweltering Stade Ernest Wallon.
The Leopards went ahead in the sixth minute when Charnley, the league’s all-time record try-scorer, dived over in the right corner.
Leigh’s Liam Horne celebrates after scoring a try
Charnley stretched to touch down another try in the 14th minute off a looping pass from Lachlan Lam out to the flank.
Leigh further extended their lead to 18-0 ahead of half-time. Adam Cook found Charnley to spin and touch down in the corner once again for his 25th career hat-trick. Charnley then scored under the posts for his 20th try of the season.
Hooker Liam Horne barged though with five minutes left as the Leopards moved to within two points of the play-off places.
Super League 2026 – upcoming key dates
- Magic Weekend: July 4-July 5
- Rivals Round reversed: July 23-July 26
- Elimination Play-offs: September 19-September 20
- Play-off semi-finals: September 26-September 27
- Grand Final: October 3
Sky Sports will show every game of the Super League live this season, including two matches each round exclusively live. The remaining five matches will be broadcast on Sky Sports+
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com
