Academy off to winning start

• Wigan Warriors Academy beat Castleford Tigers Academy in season opener.
• Braces from Junior Nsemba and Harvie Hill secured the two points for Wigan.
• FT | Wigan Warriors Academy 22-14 Castleford Tigers Academy.

Wigan Warriors Academy got off to a winning start in their 2022 season as they saw off Castleford Tigers in a close match at Robin Park Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Junior Nsemba got the Warriors into the lead in the first half with a brace of tries with Castleford hot on their tails. In the second half it was Harvie Hill who was at the double to give Shane Eccles’ side the advantage and take the two points in their opening game.

Report

Castleford had the best of the opening exchanges as they raced into the lead, creating an overlap on the left they sent Harry Render away, it looked like Wigan had got the winger into touch with some good scramble defence but the Castleford managed to get the offload away before going out of play to see the Tigers full back over for the first try.

Wigan were awarded a penalty 20m from the Castleford line in the 20th minute, the Warriors had a few efforts at the line but eventually it was Junior Nsemba who crashed onto a ball and over the line, converted by Myers to give Wigan the lead.

Just moments later, Nsemba was over again. The Warriors had worked their way up field for the full set and on the last Nsemba added the muscle to beat a number of defenders and stretch out to get the score and give Wigan the 10-4 lead going in at half time.

It was a quiet start to the second half with neither side managing to get over the whitewash, but in the 60th minute it was the visitors who got one back to narrow the lead as the prop forward smashed his way over the goal line, the effort converted to draw the scores level at 10-10.

The Warriors got themselves back in front in the 67th minute as Harvie Hill went on a blistering run down the centre of the field. The forward couldn’t be stopped and he put the ball down under the uprights, converted by Ratchford for 16-10.

Immediately afterwards Wigan were pulled up for a knock on from the play the ball and Castleford had the ball in hand just 20m away from the goal line. Castleford made the most of the opportunity as they ran the ball right for the winger to dive in at the corner and reduce the deficit, though the conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

Harvie Hill got Wigan out of reach in the 74th minute, again finding joy down the middle of the field he spotted a gap to slip through and despite the Castleford defences attempts to bring him down short he had the muscle to get the ball down as Tom Ratchford converted for 22-14 and handing Wigan the win.

Wigan Warriors: Jacob Douglas, Reagan Sumner, Harry Smithers, Maddox Jeffrey, Ethan Fitzgerald, Billy Myers, Reece Bushell, Harvie Hill, Lewis Pinder, Harvey Wilson, Finley Beardsworth, Junior Nsemba, Ellis Hobson

Subs: Tom Ratchford, Max Wood, Reece Stanton, Joe Baldwin

Tries: Nsemba (30′, 32′) Hill (67′, 75′)

Goals: Myers 1/2, Ratchford 2/2

Castleford Tigers: Balami Qareqare, Hugo Nikhata, Tom Marris, Mckenzie Coulson, Harry Render, Jaiden Tang, Leyton Davies, Freddie Brennan-Jones, William Shaw, Jude Thompson, Aaron Willis, Alfie Dean, Toby Mallinson

Subs: Taylor Baddeley, Jack Green, Ben Farfar, Callum Adkins-Beety

Tries: Qareqare (4′), Brennan-Jones (60′), Farrar (70′)

Goals: Mallinson 1/3

Match Gallery: