Leigh Leopards lost to Wigan Warriors in the Super League semi-finals and the two key moments where they lost the game have been identified by pundit Jon Wilkin, who has lauded praise on Matt Peet’s side.
He wasn’t shy of handing praise to Leigh as well with their development across the last three years in Super League noted, finishing fifth, fifth and now third, having won a Challenge Cup and made two Super League semi-finals.
Both those semi-finals have resulted in defeat to Wigan, however, this year’s game was far closer than last year but there’s a key reason why the Warriors came through in the eyes of Jon Wilkin and that’s because of their big moment stars.
Not only are many of Wigan’s team big game players but they also excel in the split-second moments in games that ultimately shape sport at the very elite level.
That was evident in last year’s Grand Final when Bevan French broke through and scored the only try of the game in a 9-2 win and he was heavily involved again on Friday night.
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‘Two big moments’ that secured Wigan Warriors’ win identified
French scored two of Wigan’s three tries with the final one coming in the 80th minute and almost adding salt into Leigh’s wounds, with that try being the only score of the second forty.
At half-time, it was 14-6 to Wigan but it could have very easily been 8-6 or even 6-6 with Edwin Ipape’s penalty in the 38th minute allowing Wigan to edge in front, before Bevan French’s try from the restart in the 40th being the brutal blow.
That was one of two moments where Jon Wilkin has claimed Wigan won the game, despite his claim that Leigh “were the better side in the first half”.
Speaking post-match on Sky Sports, he said: “I thought Leigh were the better side in the first half and they’ll be desperately disappointed.
“Adrian Lam knew that try from Bevan French on 40 minutes made it an incredibly difficult task to chase Wigan down.”
Explaining why Wigan are so ruthless but also so ‘beautiful’ in his eyes, Wilkin explained: “All the teams left in the play-offs have got quality players but I think games like this are about moments and commanding those moments, and I think there are two big moments in the game.
“Bevan French’s first try and the Bevan French try on 40 minutes and what I love about Wigan is that they can hang in games. They can get beat up physically but come out the other side.”
He continued: “Then when the moments that matter present themselves, they’ve got the ability to take them and that’s where they’re class.
“We do talk so much about Jai Field and Bevan French but in tight games, those big players can go against momentum and create things and that’s what is beautiful about this Wigan team.”
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