Wheelchair Warriors lose out at Leeds
- Match Report as Wigan Warriors lose out to Leeds Rhinos in the penultimate fixture of the Betfred Wheelchair Super League.
- Despite six converted tries, Wigan fell to defeat on Saturday afternoon.
- FT | Leeds Rhinos 46-36 Wigan Warriors.
Wigan Warriors Wheelchair fell to defeat against Leeds Rhinos on Saturday afternoon in their penultimate game of the regular Betfred Wheelchair Super League season.
The Warriors got off to a rocky start as Nathan Collins was able to collect a Tom Halliwell chip kick on the bounce at the second attempt. Having scored the try, Collins then converted from the tee.
Hitting back almost immediately, Adam Rigby’s angled kick was caught by Matt Wooloff who was then able to touch down despite being under serious pressure. Jack Heggie tied the scores with a successful kick. Not surprisingly, the scoring pattern was to continue for the remainder of the half, with Leeds hitting the front and Wigan bringing things level.
As the Warriors were bringing the ball out from their own try line, a pass was unfortunately deflected back in the in goal area and Collins was the quickest to react and get his hand on the ball. Making it two from two, he was also able to add the extras.
Going from provider to scorer, Rigby was the next to cross after he charged onto a short ball from Phil Roberts close to the line. Heggie once again restored parity.
The final exchanges of the half saw Collins complete his hat-trick try with a speedy run down the left, before Wooloff got his second on the back of a quick play the ball from Nathan Roberts. Sending the teams into the break at 18 points apiece, Heggie put the ball between the uprights.
Taking the lead once more after the restart, Halliwell was able to collect his own short kick, but this was then extended further when Josh Butler found a gap in the line. Continuing his success from the tee, Collins now made it 30-18.
As in the first half, the Cherry & Whites continued to show their resilience and remained in touch. Back-to-back tries by Rigby, sealing his hat-trick, brought Wigan level. The first was a neat play that opened a gap down the middle, whist the second came from a left to right passing move that saw Nathan Roberts put Rigby in at the corner.
The pattern now seemed to be two tries each, Jodie Boyd-Ward and Butler again for the Rhinos now giving them a firm grasp of the game with 20 minutes to go. Bringing it back to a one score game, Heggie was the beneficiary as he chased down a Phil Roberts kick to then cross the line. He was also able to convert the try for a 42-36 score line.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for the Warriors as Butler also completed his hat-trick on the back of a Wigan error. A rare Collins miss took the final score to 46-36 in favour of the League Leaders.
Leeds Rhinos: Nathan Collins, Nathan Mulhall, Ewan Clibbens, Tom Halliwell, Jodie Boyd-Ward
Interchanges: Josh Butler, Becky Wilkinson, Verity Smith
Tries: Collins (3), Halliwell, Butler (3), Boyd-Ward
Goals: Collins (7/8)
Wigan Warriors: Nathan Roberts, Jack Heggie, Adam Rigby, Phil Roberts, Matt Wooloff
Interchanges: Toby Burton-Carter, Mel Griffiths, Daniel Dutson
Tries: Wooloff (2), Rigby (3), Heggie
Goals: Heggie (6/6)
