Women’s Academy win season opener

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Women’s Academy win in their first match of 2022.
• Grace Banks and Kerrie Evans both got doubles, with Beth Hayes, Olivia Argent, Mollie Jones and Olivia Boyham also crossing.
• FT | Huddersfield Giants 10-36 Wigan Warriors.

Match Report as Wigan Warriors Women’s Academy run out winners on the road at Huddersfield Giants in their opening game of 2022.

Report

Wigan Warriors Women’s Academy ran out 36-10 winners in their opening fixture of 2022 on the road away at Huddersfield Giants.

The Giants opened the scoring through Lucy Burwood for 4-0 but Wigan hit back through Grace Banks, before Beth Hayes put Wigan into the lead for the first time on 15 minutes, making it 8-0.

A sustained period of pressure meant that there was no further score until the 24th minute, but it was in Wigan’s favour as Olivia Argent got her name on the scoresheet. Just before the half time interval, full-back Molly Jones scored a fantastic effort, converted by Beth Hayes to give Wigan an 18-4 lead.

Wigan started the second half quickly as Grace Banks added her second of the evening in the 43rd minute, with a second successful conversion from Beth Hayes extending Wigan’s lead to 24-4.

Kerrie Evans was the next to register a brace of tries as she scored a double inside 10-minutes, crossing in the 48th and 58th minute of the game.

Huddersfield grabbed one back shortly afterwords as Sienna McPherson got over the goal line after a number of repeat sets at the Wigan defence saw them break through.

Wigan completed the evening though, Olivia Boyham also adding her name to the list of scorers with a great late effort to give Wigan a 36-10 victory.

Huddersfield Giants: Holly Waddington, Lucy Burwood, Tyla Naidole, Erin Bentley, Lillie Taylor, Phillippa Curley, Albany Coates, Sienna McPherson, Evie Gray, Cheyney McCarthy, Molly Davidson, Mollie Butterworth.

Interchanges: Lois Naidole, Hollie Dhurmea, Charlotte McCauliffe, Ellie Small, Bethany Armstrong.

Tries: Burwood, McPherson

Goals: Waddington 1/2

Wigan Warriors: Molly Jones, Mary-Jane McLoughlin, Kaitlin Hilton, Eva Hunter, Kerrie Evans, Grace Banks, Beth Hayes, Arabella Reed, Abbie Singleton, Cerys Jones, Emma Davies, Olivia Argent, Jodie Morris.

Interchanges: Lucie Sams, Charlotte Nixon, Lucy Johnson, Emma Lowe, Olivia Boyham, Sydney Alderman-Smith, Sophie Morris.

Tries: Banks (11′, 43′), Hayes (15′), Argent (24′), Jones (38′), Evans (48′, 59′), Boyham (77′)

Goals: Jones 0/2, Hayes 2/6