Warriors win Reserves Grand Final

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Reserves ran out 24-0 winners against St Helens Reserves.
• Warriors maintained their unbeaten record in 2023 as they nilled St Helens to win the Grand Final.
• FT | Wigan Warriors Reserves 24-0 St Helens Reserves.

Match Report as Wigan Warriors Reserves were crowned 2023 Reserves Champions as they saw off St Helens in a 24-0 win at Robin Park Arena.

Wigan Warriors put their one hundred percent record on the line hosting near neighbours St Helens in the reserve Grand Final.

A gritty controlled performance from an experienced Wigan side was enough to finish the season on a high in dreadful conditions at Robin Park Arena. Leading 8-0 at the break the Warriors fared better in the tricky conditions and hammered home their territorial advantage to run out 24-0 victors.

Report

A very wet Robin Park Arena was the stage as Wigan Warriors hosted local rivals St Helens for the reserves Grand Final. The sides traded errors in the opening stages as the rain came into play. Wigan drew first blood, a clever kick forcing a knock on from Saints and Wigan capitalised from the resulting scrum with Maddox Jeffrey squeezing over in the corner, Ryan Hampshire failed to convert.

The game turned into a war of attrition with both sides struggling to play their usual fluent rugby and trading errors. Saints gained the upper hand with possession and territory with Hurrell going close but valiant Wigan defence keeping the experienced centre held up on the line. The sides continued to trade sets and errors with the conditions playing their part.

Impressive Saints fullback Harry Roberston was busy in both attack and defence, but some brutal Wigan defence forced a knock -on and the Warriors rolled forwards toward the Saints line. Jack Farrimond looked to have been stopped from offloading to Junior Nsemba by the quick line defence but he cleverly placed a little grubber kick through to the second rower for Wigans second score just after the half hour mark. Hampshire was again off target with the conversion.

Wigan lost possession on the next set and only last ditch covering saved an immediate Saints response. Saints scrum half Daniel Moss knocked on from the resulting drop out. Wigan once again marched up field. Hampshire’s clever kick rolled agonisingly into touch to prevent Jacob Douglas from scoring.

The sides again couldn’t find another breakthrough with Saints coming the closest but unforced errors crucially prevented them from registering their first score. Wigan leading 8-0 at the break as things got a little heated on the hooter with Saints’ Konrad Hurrell having to restrain Daniel Moss from getting further involved.

Wigan got the second half underway and after restraining Saints on their opening set, immediately made their way downfield. A flowing move from right to left ended with Man of the match Zach Eckersley using the wet pitch to his advantage and sliding in from 5 metres out, though the effort couldn’t be converted by Hampshire.

The game came to a halt for some treatment for Saints centre Owen Dagnall who bravely went in for a ball after Maddox Jeffrey tried to control on the floor. Saints again put themselves under pressure with yet another knock on. On the resulting set, substitute Tom Forber dived over unchallenged from a metre out to extend Wigans lead. Hampshire landed the conversion to put the Warriors well in control at 18-0.

Wigan gained their first penalty of the match from the restart after a high tackle. Saints winger Keane Gilford did tremendously well to volley the ball back into play from Hampshire’s kick but Konrad Hurrell picked up the ball from an offside position. Wigan drove forward and Maddox Jeffrey sneaked in for his second on the touchline. Hampshire nailed the conversion as the rain came down even harder.

The game ebbed and flowed with errors and penalties as the conditions worsened and Wigan put a stranglehold on the match not giving Saints any time in their own 20 metres.

When Saints did put some pressure on with a cute chipkick, Maddox Jeffrey was on hand to clear the danger. From the drop out, Saints toiled further and got a penalty for a high tackle. The frustration spilled over as players from both sides rushed in to face off. Saints again unable to convert as Wigan’s impressive defence held out. Saints got another relieving penalty as Tom Forber gave away a high shot. Wigan’s defence held firm on the line and Saints subsequently went down to 12 men for the rest of the game with second row Lewis Baxter sin binned for dissent.

Saints had the territory for the remaining part of the game but Wigan’s defence held out repeat sets as the hooter sounded for a convincing victory to win the trophy and round off a second successive unbeaten season in determined fashion.

Gallery:

Wigan Warriors: Logan Astley, Maddox Jeffrey, Iain Thornley, Zach Eckersley, Jacob Douglas, Ryan Hampshire, Jack Farrmond, Harvey Makin, Cade Cust. Kavan Rothwell, Junior Nsemba, Finley Beardworth, Joe Shorrocks

Interchange: Tom Forber, Trent Kelly-Duffy, Harvey Wilson, Max Wood

18th Player: Taylor Kerr

Tries: Maddox Jeffrey (5′, 53′), Junior Nsemba (31′), Zach Eckersley (42′), Tom Forber (49′)

Goals: Hampshire 2/5

St Helens: Harry Robertson, Keane Gilford, Owen Dagnall, Konrad Hurrell, Tee Ritson, Ben Lane, Daniel Moss, Brett Bailey, Jake Burns, Lewis Baxter, Matthew Foster, Sam Royle, Eliot Pephosi.

Interchange: Alfie Whittle, Nathan Bannerman, Mckenzie Buckley, Alfie Sinclair

18th Player: Ciaran Nolan

Sin Bin: Lewis Baxter (71′)

Tries: N/A

Goals: N/A

By David Bailey.