Abandoned Super League clash provides club unfair advantage suggests Kevin Brown

Last night Wigan Warriors defeated Salford Red Devils to move top of the league but this was overshadowed by Leigh Leopards vs Huddersfield Giants.

This is because after 48 minutes, the game was stopped by a floodlight failure.

Then after 55 minutes, the game was abandoned due to spectator safety.

This raises questions about what next for the game and the Sky Sports pundits had their say on the situation.

Barrie McDermott said: “If you were in the Giants’ camp, you’d want the game to start again.

“Listen, I’ve played a lot of games at all, a variety of levels. I can’t think of a game where the lights have gone up, and we’ve had to walk off. Not since I was playing for Waterhead at U17, so something’s gone wrong there. It’s the season that’s had absolutely everything, isn’t it?”

Kevin Brown said: “At what point does that game get put in? Because that game down the line for Leigh Leopards might not mean as much as it does right now tonight. So for Huddersfield, really, it’s almost an extra life.”

Huddersfield Giants travelled to the Leigh Sports Village to face the Leopards with the two teams entering following contrasting results, the Leopards having lost both games since their famous Wembley win whereas the Giants had kept their season alive with victory over Leeds Rhinos.

Leigh still sit eight points clear of Huddersfield with a fourth place finish for the 2022 Championship winners looking likely, whereas for Huddersfield their finishing spot could range from fifth to tenth.

If they’re to achieve a finish of fifth and playoff rugby league then they’ll likely have to win all four remaining games, starting tonight, but that was something Adrian Lam would be intent on stopping as he demanded a response from las week’s humiliating 52-10 loss to Hull KR.

As for the Giants they edged out Leeds Rhinos at Headingley drawing them level onto 20 points, four outside the playoffs with eight to play for, meaning that Ian Watson’s side are almost at a stage of four must win games.

The Giants changed their spine with Will Pryce moving to full back whilst Jake Connor paired Tui Lolohea in the halves following Olly Russell’s season ending hand injury.

As for the Leopards they have named their squad and Josh Charnley passes as fit after concerns over his fitness for the game with the Leopards naming a squad close to full strength, barring the long term injury to Ricky Leutele.

Adrian Lam got his reaction from last week’s loss almost immediately with Josh Charnley scoring after just six minutes to put the Leopards in the lead.

That lead lasted just under ten minute when Jake Connor showed fancy footwork to cross over and score, with Will Pryce’s conversion pushing the Giants in front 6-4.

It didn’t last long though with Charnley scoring his second just minutes later which saw him break John Woods’ club record for most tries in a season in the top division.

His wing partner then scored just after the half hour mark to make the lead 16-6 and put Huddersfield forty minutes away from surely facing no playoff rugby.

Jake Connor tried to fix that though as he scored his second of the game early in the second half to make it 16-12 but minutes later the floodlights failed at the Leigh Sports Village.