Betfred Super League
Catalans (6) 16
Tries: Faataape, Lipowicz, Satae Goals: Sexton 2
Wigan (30) 40
Tries: Field, Nsemba, Marsden, Farrimond, Wardle, Eckersley, Keighran Goals: Keighran 6
Wigan Warriors followed up their Challenge Cup win with a comfortable Super League victory over Catalans Dragons in Paris.
Les Dracs hosted Wigan at Stade Jean-Bouin, home of rugby union outfit Stade Francais, to mark the 30th anniversary of Super League as well as the 20th anniversary of Catalans’ debut in the league.
Jai Field, Junior Nsemba, George Marsden, Jack Farrimond and Jake Wardle all crossed for Wigan before the break, with Solomona Faataape getting Catalans on the board.
Zac Lipowicz and Chris Satae went in for Catalans either side of Zach Eckersley dotting down at the corner for Wigan, with Adam Keighran matching his kicking with a try of his own late on.
Victory for Wigan means they bounce back in Super League, with their most recent league fixture having been their heavy defeat by Hull KR over two weeks ago – a game when boss Matt Peet rested much of his side for their repeat meeting at Wembley in last weekend’s Challenge Cup final.
That change paid off, as Wigan comfortably beat the Robins to earn a 22nd cup win, and they made it two wins from two as they carried on their travels with victory in Paris having taken control early on when Nsemba sent Field through and then scored a try soon after when he met Marsden’s sensational kick.
Faataape raced in to meet Lewis Dodd’s kick to goal to get Catalans on the board just before the half-hour mark, but the wheels well and truly came off when Satae was sent to the sin-bin for a loose carry which led to a failed captain’s challenge by Les Dracs.
Wigan turned the screw as 17-year-old Marsden evaded Catalans full-back Charlie Staines to race in as Farrimond – fresh from winning the Lance Todd Trophy last weekend – then scored an audacious try when he chased his own grubber kick, punted it on and then won the foot race to score the Warriors’ fourth try.
The demolition continued as Wardle was sent through just before the break but Catalans responded on their return in the second half when Lipowicz evaded the Wigan defence to crash in.
Wigan were temporarily reduced to 12 men when Patrick Mago was shown a yellow card for a trip on Dodd but Catalans failed to take advantage as their opponents had done in the first half.
Instead, Eckerley showed some impressive acrobatics to avoid being wrestled into touch by Faataape, as his outstretched hand grounded the ball at the corner, but Satae responded when he managed to get the ball down under the posts.
That score was too little too late for the Dragons, however, as Keighran raced in with relative ease to cap a dominant performance.
Catalans: Staines; Russell, Laguerre, Faataape, Cotric; Sexton, Dodd; Allen, Tison, Navarrete, Maria, Lipowicz, Garcia.
Interchanges: Satae, Bousquet, Condon, Leeming.
Sin-bin: Satae (29)
Wigan: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Hodkinson; Farrimond, Marsden; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Partington.
Interchanges: Ellis, Mago, Eseh, Kerr.
Sin-bin: Mago (52)
Referee: Chris Kendall.
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