After Wigan Warriors defeated Leigh Leopards 38-0, pundits Jon Wilkin and Sam Tomkins assessed how and why Wigan could dominate so heavily.
Matt Peet‘s side ran in three tries in each half on their way to Old Trafford as they held out early on before beginning to suffocate and dominate the Leopards in a clinical fashion.
Leigh had won twelve of their last fourteen games heading into the ‘Battle of the Borough’ clash with Wigan but they met their match and it was simply one game too far, something that Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin noted post-game.
He explained: “The irony is that One Step Beyond by Madness is playing because it was one step beyond Leigh Leopards in every single sense here.
“It was a champion team playing a team that scraped into the play-offs and it was men against boys and Wigan’s performance was ruthless. It had intent, he had discipline, and it was impressive. That’s an impressive performance going into a Grand Final.”
Wigan Warriors set up a clash with Hull KR after the Robins had defeated Warrington Wolves on Friday night in a very different fashion, grinding out a 10-8 win as opposed to cruising through like Peet’s side did.
Wigan Warriors dominate through grit but show glimpses of X-factor
Credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Wigan were simply too good for Leigh in almost every single facet and that showed as they cruised into the Grand Final with what former Warriors man Sam Tomkins described as a ‘complete performance’.
Tomkins argued: “That was such a complete performance from minute one to the 80th minute. We play a very tough sport and during an 80-minute game, at times you come up with errors but Wigan were machine-like and methodical.”
Despite the win being based upon physical dominance and the principle of doing the basics right, Wigan Warriors still showed their X-factor with dynamic duo Bevan French and Jai Field both scoring spectacular tries, something that Jon Wilkin noted.
“We just saw a glimpse. In tight games, we talk about Field and French and their importance because they can produce something but they didn’t need to do that, although French did score a superb and miraculous try.
“It was about grit, determination, physicality and the willingness to compete that stood out.”
On French’s try, Tomkins described it as a ‘warning shot’ to Hull KR, stating: “It was like Bevan French’s try was a warning shot saying ‘We have also got this’.
“They have ground a team out but they have still got that X-factor.”
