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Hull FC 31-22 Wigan Warriors: Highlights and match report

With a re-jigged team, a second chance for Luke Gale and a big opponent in town, Hull FC further upset Wigan’s Cup Final celebrations handing the Warriors their second defeat since their semi-final win and forcing them to rock up at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium next week after back-to-back losses.

Highlights:

Off the cuff rugby from Hull
This brand of rugby is more associated with the other side of Hull, but the Black and Whites played some enterprising stuff to register their fourth try of the game before the break. Jake Connor’s offload proving decisive in setting up Josh Reynolds.

French on fire
After a slow start which saw them at one stage down four tries to one and only in the game due to some missed conversions, Wigan pulled level as Harry Smith carved through the Hull defence setting up French to race away and score.

Match Report:

Hull FC and Wigan always seem to serve up great encounters when they meet in modern times and that was no different today with the match exploding into life within the first three minutes of the game.

Perhaps Wigan were caught dreaming of the Challenge Cup Final or perhaps Hull FC were eager to make a statement against one of the top three having been soundly beaten last week against the Champions. Either way it played into the hands of the returning Adam Swift who finished a move down the left in the corner to open the scoring. Fellow returnee Luke Gale missed the conversion attempt.

Seven minutes later and still within the first 10 of the game, right winger Darnell McIntosh got in on the action taking Jake Connor’s long ball out wide to race in at the corner untouched to double the lead with Gale again missing with the conversion.

The usually reliable Gale continued to struggle as Hull continued to be prolific out wide as Swift got his second 10 minutes on from the first as Hull scored three tries in 13 minutes this time taking a wide pass to race into the corner.

Despite this solid start, Wigan were right back in the game four minutes later when John Bateman scored burrowing over from close range. The ensuing conversion from Harry Smith meant that for all of Hull’s good work and their fast start the difference was only a converted try due to Gale’s struggles with the boot.

He did finally get his radar in order for try number four. This one going to Josh Reynolds after some off the cuff rugby which saw Jake Connor set up Reynolds for a try which Gale converted. However, the Warriors stuck in the game with a second try as Liam Marshall crossed after some quick hands with Smith’s conversion trimming the lead down to six at the break.

Remarkably, the Warriors pulled level as Bevan French raced down the right wing for a superb try to level the game.

All of Hull’s good work coming undone until Carlos Tuimavave crossed for a vital try prior to the hour mark as Wigan left the ball to roll out from 25 metres out only for Tuimavave to pick up and jink down the right to score.

Gale converted to make further amends for his earlier misses making it a six point game and he added a drop goal to edge them further ahead and that might have settled the game on a quieter afternoon of rugby but this game had more drama in it as Wigan gave themselves a life line with Liam Farrell scoring as the Warriors made numbers down the left. Smith missed the conversion leaving the game at 25-22.

Game back on but not for long as Chris Satae powered over to make it 29-22 before Gale added another two points to make it three from six with the boot to make it 31-22 wrapping up a vital win for the Black and Whites and further stifling Wigan’s momentum.

Not the prep Wigan needed going into the final losing both their games prior to the London show down with Huddersfield. Hull meanwhile give their play-off hopes an almighty boost.

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