Women beat Leopards

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Women ran out 40-0 winners against Leigh Leopards Women.
• The Warriors Women scored eight unanswered tries on the day, including a hat-trick from Grace Banks.
• FT | Leigh Leopards 0-40 Wigan Warriors.

Wigan Warriors Women travelled to Leigh Leopards in pre-season, as the Leopards prepared to face their first game as a team.

The Warriors built-up a fantastic lead after the first forty with a Grace Banks hat-trick accompanied by efforts from Salihi, Coleman, Greenfield and Davies.

The second half was much more of an arm wrestle owing to some handling errors, with the only score in the final period coming through Victoria Molyneux.

Report

The Warriors started strong and were soon over as full back Beri Salihi scooped up a loose pass off the floor before racing towards the right wing and getting over for the opening score at Twist Lane, unable to convert her own score it was 0-4.

The Leopards offered up plenty in attack and were unlucky to be denied as a chance at the goal line went begging as Wigan stayed in the lead.

Wigan extended the lead in the 13th minute as Grace Banks got her first of the afternoon. After working into good space, Banks cut inside on her right foot to create herself a pocket of space to dart through and score, Salihi converted this time and it was 0-10.

It wasn’t long before Wigan were in again, this time a powerful run from Mary Coleman with a strong hand-off saw the second rower score on the right edge, the conversion was missed for 0-14.

With Leigh unable to provide too much pressure on the Warriors goal line, Wigan added a fourth of the afternoon through Becky Greenfield. Playing in the halves on Sunday afternoon, Greenfield darted through the centre of the field to score under the sticks, an easy conversion for Salihi took the scores to 0-20.

Wigan weren’t done there as Anna Davies was the next to add her name to the try scoring list just a few minutes letter, scooting from the play the ball inside her own half to race away down the middle of the field to dive in under the uprights. Salihi again converted to put Wigan out to 0-26.

Grace Banks completed a first half hat-trick as she added a further two to her tally in the final 3 minutes of the opening half. The first saw Molly Jones race down the left wing before sending a pass inside for Banks to finish the move before the half back backed herself for a score breaking through the centre. The latter was converted by the boot of Salihi to confirm a 0-36 score in Wigan’s favour at the break.

Into the second half, Beri Salihi left the field through injury with Molly Jones making the switch to full back. Jones looked lively in the opening stages, going close in the 45th minute after a fantastic break of the line before being stopped just short of the goal line for the turnover.

Wigan added their final score of the game on the hour mark as Victoria Molyneux burst onto a ball on the left edge to cross, the conversion attempt from Jodie Morris out wide was off target as the scores hit 0-40 for Wigan.

The Leopards continued to fight until the end, having a number of sets against the Wigan back line to try and find a way over but the Warriors defence stood strong to confirm a win to nil in game two of pre-season.

Gallery:

Leigh Leopards: Isla Aspen, Toryn Blackwood, Mackenzie Taylor, Elise Derbyshire, Elise Gater, Rihanna Burke, Emma Knowles, Rebecca Owen, Kate Howard, Mairead Quinn, Keli Morris, Charlotte Hill, Kirsty Millington.

Interchange: Vicky Rosevere, Robyn Bell-Soppelsa, Grace Hill, Olivia Boyham, Jessica Farnell, Hollie Gregory.

Wigan Warriors: Beri Salihi, Kaitlin Hilton, Gabi Leigh, Anna Davies, Molly Jones, Grace Banks, Rebecca Greenfield, Holly Speakman, Emma Dwyer, Jodie Morris, Eva Hunter, Mary Coleman, Victoria Molyneux.

Interchange: Bethany Hayes, Cerys Jones, Kerrie Evans, Lucy Johnson, Emma Davies, Olivia Harborow.

Tries: Salihi (6’), Banks (13’, 37’, 40’), Coleman (22’), Greenfield (29’), Davies (32’), Molyneux (60’)

Goals: Salihi 4/7, Morris 0/1