Warriors Scholars lose to Saints

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Scholars fell to defeat against St Helen’s Scholars on Wednesday night.
• Wigan scored two late tries but were unable to claw back the deficit.
• FT | Wigan Warriors Scholars 12-32 St Helens Scholars.

Wigan Warriors Scholars opened their 2023 account with a loss to St Helens at Ince Rose Bridge on Wednesday night.

The Warriors got on the board with a first-half score but trailed 12-4 at the break. The St Helens scholars peeled away in the second half to build-up a 32-4 lead, with Wigan scoring two tries late on to see the game finish 32-12.

Report

The visitors struck first, taking an early lead after only a minute, going over in the left corner, with the kick being converted by McGann from a tight angle to make it 0-6. The young Warriors looked to pile on the pressure following a St Helens sin bin on 12 minutes, but the visitors were able to stand firm, defending their try line by inches on a number of occasions.

The first half would remain a tough contest, with defence reigning supreme and neither side able to capitalize on opportunities. That was until the 34th minute when the visitors would further extend their lead, working the ball well from the centre and breaking through the Wigan line to go over just wide of the sticks. The conversion was good leaving St Helens 12 up with only 5 minutes left before the interval.

The Warriors however would not be deterred, fighting back almost instantly through Jaiden Drachenberg on the left-wing, who latched onto a grubber from the 20 in the corner. Nathan Benson was unable to convert leaving the scores at 4-12 going into the break.

It was the visitors who would post the first points of the second half on 47 minutes, forcing their way through on the left side following a penalty. The kick was once again converted to leave the score at 4-18 to St Helens. They would further extend their lead only 5 minutes later, with some quick passing from central finding it’s way to the right corner where they would go over. The kick was this time missed to leave the scores as 4-22.

Saints would continue to ride the momentum, scoring another try only 2 minutes later, latching onto a grubber right off the sticks, with the kick being converted from central to give the visitors a 24 point lead.

St Helens struck again on 58 minutes, working an overload on the wing and going over in the right corner. The kick was again missed from the tight angle, leaving game at 4-32. The Warriors would add two late tries, with Robert Bentham getting one back for the Warriors 10 minutes from time, barging his way through in the left centre, but Benson was unable to add the extras leaving the score 8-32.Warriors added another 3 minutes later, with Nathaniel Twiss racing into space and going over in right corner. The conversion was missed, leaving the full time score at 12-32.

Wigan Warriors Scholars: Nathaniel Twiss, Tobias Rich, Harlen Smith, Thomas Bridge, Jaiden Drachenberg, Finlay Yeomans, Nathan Benson, Michael Porter, Lewis Owens, John Perry, Joshua Swindley, Cameron Bate, Leo Wadsworth.

Interchange: Lucas Hendry, Vincent Arthurs, Robert Bentham, George Marsden.

18th Player: Shea O’Connor.

Tries: Drachenberg (38)’ Bentham (75′), Twiss (78′)

Goals: Benson (0/3)

St Helens Scholars: Austin Daniel, Nathan Stafford, Rory Holliday, Reilly Cosgrove, Keagan Allibone, Kian McGann, Thomas Humphreys, Alfie Shearer, Reece Robinson, Alfie Tate, William Keeley, Oliver Garmston, Matthew Evans.

Interchange: Elliot Jamieson, Oliver Polec, Oliver Stankevitch, Matthew Penketh.

Tries: Allibone, McGann, Keeley (2), Holliday, Austin

Goals: McGann (4/6)