First-half romp earns Wigan top spot

A rampant Wigan side proved their Super League title credentials with a 42-16 rout over north-west rivals Saint Helens in the ultimate game of the Magic Weekend. LS Sport’s Joseph Short was in Manchester…

Two trys each from Sam Tomkins and Josh Charnley drove Wigan to a 30-6 half time lead, and the scoring didn’t stop there as the latter got a third, with Liam Farrell and Gareth Hock adding the extra points to delight a large gathering of Warriors support behind the north goalposts.

A second-half fight that was more than just handbags – with three players being sent off – marred the game. The incident gave Saints hope, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook scoring shortly after, but it was not enough as Wigan took back top spot in the Super League.

Holes in the Saints defence were showing

Tomkins was at his best as Wigan took the lead on six minutes: Brett Finch slipping through Saints’ line before passing wide to the full-back to slide over. Gareth Hock jinked his way through five minutes later to double the Warriors’ advantage, the Wigan support in the north stand as vocal as though they were at the DW.

The holes in the Saints defence were showing as Josh Charley dropped in on the right corner to round off Darrell Goulding’s cheeky pass, the wing failing to convert his own try for 16-0.

After just 22 minutes it was 22-0, and the man of the moment was there again. Tomkins stretched his legs to gallop through an invisible Saints line from 50 yards to touch down in the right corner. Two minutes later and another right-wing surge saw loose forward Sean O’Loughlin score in front of a dismayed St Helens crowd.

George Carmont sprinted 60 metres down the left flank to ground

The Saints tightened up after the early barrage, and pinched what already felt like a consolation try before half time, when Paul Clough dropped over left of the sticks.

But the comeback was short-lived as Charnley scored seconds after the buzzer to give Wigan a 30-6 lead at half time. This was soon added to after the break when George Carmont sprinted 60 metres down the left flank to ground four minutes in, Charnley missing the conversion.

A wonderful game was somewhat marred by a ridiculously petulant scrap midway through the second half, Wigan’s Chris Tuston and Hock enjoying a good punch up after Saints’ McCarthy-Scarsbrook clashed heads the latter in a scrum. Both Tuson and Hock were rightly sent off, as was St Helens’ Shaun Magennis.

Scarbrook then got his try to make it 34-10, but Farrell soon reclaimed the points after Hock had surged down the right flank. Saints’ scrum-half Jonny Lomax grounded with five minutes left, but it was too little too late for Mike Rush’s side.