Wigan Warriors 28-12 Castleford TigersWigan strengthened their grip on second place in Super League with not only a thoroughly deserved victory over Castleford, but a performance that again underlines that the Warriors are better placed for a title cha…
• Leeds 8-9 Wigan• Tomkins manages five points as Wigan win from 8-0 downPerhaps it was inevitable Sam Tomkins would have the last laugh. In the moments leading up to kick-off, he was ridiculed by the Leeds supporters after slipping while attempting a …
• St Helens 21-18 Wigan• Saints open up a four-point gap at Super League summitIt is impossible to argue Justin Holbrook has not overseen a remarkable transformation at St Helens in little over a year in charge but you felt there was still one niggling…
The reigning man of steel hopes a tough run of fixtures starting with Wigan will show Castleford can repeat last season’s heroicsLuke Gale believes Castleford’s run of games that begins with Sunday’s visit of Wigan will illustrate just how capable last…
• Wigan 30-18 Wakefield• Wigan posted their fourth victory in five games this seasonWigan Warriors continued their impressive start to the season by ending Wakefield Trinity’s unbeaten record and moving into second place on the Super League table.Quest…
• Kicker nails six out of six shots plus a drop goal in 21-12 win• Wigan beat Widnes 32-16 after falling behind in first halfHull FC were 21-12 winners in an ill-tempered match by the Humber as they secured only their second victory of the new Super Le…
The success of the first Super League game outside of Europe should inspire clubs to explore other cities around the worldBy Gavin Willacy for No Helmets RequiredEven before the friendlies in Sydney this weekend, Wigan and Hull’s trip to New South Wale…
• Wigan Warriors 24-10 Hull FC• Ryan Sutton and Ben Flower tries help seal victoryWigan extended their unbeaten start to the season with victory over an injury-hit Hull side as Super League hosted its first-ever game outside Europe.A crowd of over 12,0…
• St Helens 46-6 Castleford• Salford 12-40 Wigan; Hull KR 6-28 WakefieldSt Helens brought last season’s grand finalists Castleford down to earth with a bump on the opening Betfred Super League weekend.Saints thumped Cas 46-6 at the Totally Wicked Stadi…
Can Castleford challenge again? How will Leeds fare without McGuire and Burrow? And can Widnes survive? Our guide to what to expectLast season 1st (lost Grand Final) Coach Daryl Powell Captain Michael Shenton Continue reading…
Wigan Warriors are not nailed on for a top-four finish in Super League this season but they have an abundance of young talentBy Gavin Willacy for No Helmets RequiredWigan fans have had it pretty good in recent years. They have won three Super League ti…
• Wigan Warriors 20-38 Castleford Tigers
• Teenager produces thrilling all-round display at half-back
Jake Trueman gave Castleford significant reason to be cheerful with a thrilling performance at half-back in place of the injured Luke Gale. The 18-year-old scored a first-half hat-trick of tries to set his side on course for victory, although they had to withstand a strong comeback by Wigan during which a Castleford collapse many had predicted appeared to be happening.
With 20 minutes remaining, Wigan had reduced a 26-0 deficit to 10 points. They looked the stronger side and Castleford’s mettle was being seriously tested, having previously looked supremely comfortable.
With three rounds of games left, even eighth-place Huddersfield Giants can reach the play-offs – although prop Shannon Wakeman says it’s ‘extremely unlikely’
By Gavin Willacy for No Helmets Required, part of the Guardian Sport Network
Having watched Wigan and Leeds winning tricky fixtures on TV last week, you would be forgiven for assuming they will join League Leaders Castleford and Challenge Cup winners Hull FC in the play-off semi-finals at the end of the month. But Wakefield’s astonishing season, only overshadowed – much to their chagrin – by the sublime weekly exploits of their deadly rivals Cas, goes on. Beat St Helens on Thursday and they will end the Old Trafford dreams of not only Saints but Salford and Huddersfield, too. Wakefield will then be crossing everything that Hull see off Wigan again on Friday night. They would put Wakey three points clear with two games to go. Wins for Saints or Wigan and it becomes any two from four to join Cas and Leeds.
Before the last round, Huddersfield looked dark horses for the semis. If results had gone their way, they could have been just a point off fourth right now. Instead, they lost at home to Castleford and returned to the dressing room to hear that Wakefield had hammered Salford. That double whammy leaves Rick Stone’s Fartown almost certainly out of the play-off equation, five points adrift with only three games to play. However, imagine this: St Helens win at Wakey on Thursday, Hull beat Wigan on Friday and Huddersfield win at Salford on Saturday. It could happen – and the gap would be down to three points with two rounds left!
• Super 8s: St Helens 16-26 Wigan
• Wigan still have Grand Final chance
Wigan’s defence of their Super League title they won last October has been littered with suggestions Shaun Wane’s side are incapable of retaining the trophy next month in the Grand Final.
And on occasions that scepticism has not been without reason – but as the calendar ticks over into September Wigan are beginning to peak at just the right time once again. And what a night they chose to prove it, as the Ben Barba fanfare in St Helens was silenced by their fiercest rivals.
• Hull want to avoid repeat of last season’s slump after winning trophy
• Victory parade on Monday is closely followed by a tricky trip to Leeds
Scott Taylor has issued a rallying cry to his Hull FC team‑mates to use their Challenge Cup triumph as a springboard for the remainder of the Super League season.
“The double is massive,” said the prop, a Wembley winner with both of the clubs who contested the final on Saturday. “We know we can beat anyone on our day and that’s the goal now.”
• Rhinos surge three points clear of third-placed Hull FC in Super 8s
• Wigan trounce Salford 42-6 while Huddersfield hammer Hull 46-18
The England winger, Ryan Hall, marked his 300th appearance for Leeds with a crucial try to help them get back on course for a home semi-final.
Related: Castleford secure first league title after overpowering Wakefield
• Wakefield Trinity prop fails drugs test for cocaine
• Stevie Ward scores hat-trick for Leeds against Wigan
Wakefield’s Adam Walker has been suspended after testing positive for cocaine. The 26-year-old prop failed a drugs test after the Betfred Super League win at Widnes on 14 July.
A statement from the club read: “Wakefield Trinity received notification from UK Anti-Doping and the Rugby Football League today that Adam Walker tested positively for cocaine in a drugs test, following the recent fixture against Widnes Vikings.”
• Wakefield Trinity prop fails drugs test for cocaine
• Stevie Ward scores hat-trick for Leeds against Wigan
Wakefield’s Adam Walker has been suspended after testing positive for cocaine. The 26-year-old prop failed a drugs test after the Betfred Super League win at Widnes on 14 July.
A statement from the club read: “Wakefield Trinity received notification from UK Anti-Doping and the Rugby Football League today that Adam Walker tested positively for cocaine in a drugs test, following the recent fixture against Widnes Vikings.”
• Wigan 27-14 Salford
• Wembley showdown will be repeat of 2013 final
Lee Radford has got his wish. The Hull coach will have a chance to right the wrongs of the 2013 Challenge Cup final when Wigan were supreme in a 16-0 triumph, after the Warriors battled past Salford on Sunday to set up a rematch of four years ago.
For Hull, the prize is back-to-back Challenge Cups for the first time in their history, but Wigan are now just one win away from a 20th success in the competition. Shaun Wane, the Warriors’ coach, said: “We’ll need to improve ahead of the final. On our day, though, we can challenge anyone.”
• Wigan 34-0 Leeds
• Oliver Gildart also runs in two tries as Wigan score seven without reply
“It was a no-win situation,” said the Wigan coach, Shaun Wane, of the scenario his side were presented with during this convincing victory: and while he may well be correct, it will not be entirely until a week’s time whether both sides’ preparation for a peculiar evening pays off with a trip to Wembley in August.
For Wigan this was a much-needed victory to build some confidence and form before their Challenge Cup semi-final with Salford next weekend. A side close to Wane’s strongest possible line-up proved too good for Leeds and, in what has been a chastening season for the reigning Super League champions, there will at least be some satisfaction they won with such ease.
