Warriors lose season opener

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors lose against Hull KR in the opening game.
• Tries from Liam Marshall, Kai Pearce-Paul, Jai Field and Jake Wardle weren’t enough on the day.
• FT | Hull KR 27-18 Wigan Warriors.

The Warriors fell to defeat on the opening day of the season as they were beaten by a determined Hull KR side at Sewell Group Craven Park.

Despite three scores in the first half from Liam Marshall, Jai Field and Kai-Pearce Paul, the Warriors were left to rue missed conversions as they went in 13-12 down at the interval.

The Warriors struggled to find their feet in the second forty and although Jake Wardle crossed for a debut try, it was Hull KR who ran out 27-18 winners.

Report

It was Hull KR who opened the proceedings only 3 minutes in, with Ryan Hall going over the in corner after a kick from Jordan Abdull on the last was reclaimed right on the try line. Lachlan Coote converted the kick to make it 6-0.

Warriors looked to respond immediately, and found their first points of the match after 9 minutes through Liam Marshall, who latched onto a Harry Smith kick behind the lines to score his first of the season, with Smith missing his conversion leaving the score at 6-4.

Wigan then took the lead with Jai Field going over in the opposite corner to Marshall 8 minutes later and was deemed a try by the video referee, with Toby King latching onto a loose ball. Smith was unable to convert a second time leaving the score at 6-8 to the visitors. Warriors furthered their lead through Kai Paul-Pearce, with another kick latched onto in the corner, with Smith again failed to convert his kick making it 6-12.

The hosts replied soon after however, with Shaun Kenny-Dowall fighting his way over the line on the left side to put down, with Coote again converting to put them back on level terms as the clock hit 30 minutes.

Hull KR thought they had retaken the lead through Kane Linnet on 36 minutes, after a kick on the last was spilled by a Warriors player in the try zone saw Litten put the ball down, only to be ruled out by the Video Assisant Referee. It was the hosts who would end the first half back in the lead however, with Abdull scoring from a drop goal on the hooter.

Linnett did get his try on 47 minutes, after an extended period of pressure held Warriors to the try line with and eventually getting through to score after some swift passing made its way to the KR centre. Coote was this time unable to convert leaving the score at 17-12, but did convert a penalty 8 minutes later to get the scores to 18-12.

Warriors soon saw their luck worsen with Smithies sent to the sin bin after what was deemed a late shoulder charge on Mikey Lewis. This allowed the hosts to continue the pressure, with a relentless amount of consecutive sets finally paying dividend with Kenny-Dowall sidestepping a challenge in the corner to score his second of the game. Lewis claimed conversion duty this time round, but was unable to clear the posts.

With the scores at 23-12, the ball made its way to Liam Marshall on the wing who charged forward to open up the space before laying off for Jake Wardle to score on his Warriors debut. Smith was this time able to convert to leave the scores at 23-18 going into the final 10 minutes.

Heading into the 5, any notion of a potential comeback for Warriors was quashed by the hosts, with Wigan outnumbered on the left and Shaun Kenny-Dowall putting the ball down for his hat-trick, with Lewis this time converting to leave the score at 27-18 and see Hull KR to the win.

Gallery:

Hull KR: Lachlan Coote, Ethan Ryan, Tom Opacic, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Ryan Hall, Mikey Lewis, Jordan Abdull, Sauaso Sue, Matt Parcell, Rhys Kennedy, James Batchelor, Kane Linnett, Elliot Minchella.

Interchange: George King, Jez Litten, Matty Storton, Dean Hadley.

Tries: Hall (3′) Kenny-Dowell (28′, 62′, 75′), Linnett (47′)

Goals: Coote (2/3), Abdull (40′), Coote (55′) Lewis (2/2).

Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Bevan French, Toby King, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Cade Cust, Harry Smith, Mike Cooper, Sam Powell, Ethan Havard, Kai Pearce-Paul, Liam Farrell, Morgan Smithies.

Interchange: Liam Byrne, Brad Singleton, Brad O’Neill, Kaide Ellis

Tries: Marshall (9′) Field (17′) Pearce-Paul (22′), Wardle (68′)

Goals: Smith (1/4)

Sin Bin: Smithies (57′)

Referee: Chris Kendall