Wigan win Betfred World Club Challenge

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors win against Penrith Panthers in the Betfred World Club Challenge.
• Scores from Miski, Leeming and Wardle sealed a hard-fought victory at a sold out DW Stadium.
• FT | Wigan Warriors 16-12 Penrith Panthers.

Match Report as Wigan Warriors beat Penrith Panthers to win the Betfred World Club Challenge

Brad O’Neill and Kaide Ellis made their 50th Wigan appearances on the evening as Abbas Miski got Wigan into a 4-0 lead in the 8th minute. Penrith hit back through Nathan Cleary but Kruise Leeming nudged Wigan back ahead from the interchange bench for a 10-6 lead. before Dylan Edwards crossed for the visitors to see Wigan trail 12-10 at the interval.

Jake Wardle got the only try of the second half in the 54th minute as Wigan took the 16-12 victory.

Report

The teams entered the field to an electric sold out DW Stadium and the contest was heated from the off as both teams came together in the early exchanges.

Abbas Miski got the first points on the board, surpassing 150 points for Wigan, as a looping pass from Bevan French found Miski on the right wing to dive over in the North East corner. A testing first kick for Harry Smith from the touchline was just short of the uprights as Wigan held the 4-0 lead.

Wigan defended well for a short period and an overlap on the right edge saw Brian To’o denied in the right corner after fantastic cover defence from Jai Field and Liam Marshall.

The Panthers got on the board in the 26th minute as a kick to the corner wasn’t dealt with to allow Cleary to weave his way under the sticks, converting his own effort to put the visitors into a 6-4 lead.

Wigan fought back well though and Kruise Leeming, who was introduced to the action only a few minutes earlier, backed up some great right side work to dive over for Wigan’s second try of the night. Harry Smith converted to see Wigan into a 10-6 lead.

Penrith’s Dylan Edwards crossed late in the half to cut the deficit, the effort was converted by Nathan Cleary to see Wigan trail narrowly at half time.

A tough contest ensued in the second half as both teams continued to turnover the ball.

Wigan got themselves back in front once more in the 54th minute as a grubber kick through was collected by Jake Wardle to shake off his defence and get the ball down under pressure from the Panthers. Harry Smith added a second conversion for 16-12.

The arm wrestle continued as Mike Cooper re-entered the action for the final 12 minutes.

Nathan Cleary thought he had got one back for the Panthers going into the final 10 minutes but an excellent last ditch tackle from Jai Field saw Taylan May into touch into the build up and the video referee chalked off the effort as it remained 16-12 in Wigan’s favour.

Wigan thought they had almost sealed it as Bevan French chased a kick through to dive under the uprights but the video referee denied the effort for an offside in the build-up. Wigan still held the 16-12 lead with 8 minutes to play.

Wigan held firm in the dying minutes as Penrith went close but it was the Warriors who added a fifth Betfred World Club Challenge victory to their history.

Gallery:

Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Mike Cooper, Brad O’Neill, Liam Byrne, Willie Isa, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis.

Interchanges: Patrick Mago, Kruise Leeming, Tyler Dupree, Harvie Hill.

18th player: Zach Eckersley.

Tries: Miski (8′), Leeming (33′), Wardle (54′)

Goals: Smith 2/3

Penrith Panthers: Dylan Edwards, Sunia Turuva, Izack Tago, Taylan May, Brian To’o, Jack Cole, Nathan Cleary, Moses Leota, Mitch Kenny, James Fisher-Harris, Luke Garner, Liam Martin, Isaah Yeo.

Interchange: Tyrone Peachey, Lindsay Smith, Liam Henry, Matt Eisenhuth.

18th Player: Brad Schneider.

Tries: Cleary (26′), Edwards (39′)

Goals: Cleary 2/2

Attendance: 24,091

Referee: Liam Moore

Download the team sheet.