Super league fixture abandoned due to floodlight failure

Huddersfield Giants travelled to the Leigh Sports Village tonight to face the Leopards after having beaten Leeds Rhinos last week which helped to keep their playoff chances alive.

The Leopards were looking to bounce back from a huge loss and they looked on course to do so at half time when they went in 16-6 leaders.

That had come through a Josh Charnley brace with Tom Briscoe registering the other score, however Jake Connor also bagged a brace with his second coming minutes into the second forty.

His second try came just before the floodlights went out at the LSV, an incident that happened just prior to the 50th minute and at approximately 9:05pm tonight.

Almost an hour has passed since then with no further update outside of a few comedic tweets from the Huddersfield Giants admin.

We're still waiting, well, guess I'm going to get home far past my bed time.

🐆 16 – 12 🟠 | #CowbellArmy🐮🔔

— Huddersfield Giants 🐮🔔 (@Giantsrl) September 1, 2023

The Giants admin also invited fans to play a game of ‘Guess the Giants player’, with Big Eorl Crabtree being the answer.

Anyone wanna play guess the former/current Giants player while we're waiting?

We'll start easy first, he's massive and got long hair, answers in the comments. 👇#CowbellArmy🐮🔔

— Huddersfield Giants 🐮🔔 (@Giantsrl) September 1, 2023

The delay was also referenced by Sky Sports commentary team who were covering the Wigan Warriors and Salford Red Devils game.

Phil Clarke stated: “You have to wonder how long until that game is abandoned then.”

That prompted the response from Terry O’Connor that everybody else was thinking.

“The last thing we want at this stage of the year is a replay,” O’Connor stated.

With just three rounds of Super League to go following the start of this current round 24 then it remains to be seen where the game would fit in should it be cancelled.

One man who was at the game, Dave Parkinson a commentator on Our League, commented at the point of the game being delayed by 23 minutes.

Now 23 minute delay… Match commissioner Pete Taberner has disappeared under the Lord Peter Smith stand with an entourage, we await news.

— Dave Parkinson (Thoughts are my own) (@DaveParkinsonRL) September 1, 2023

In the twenty two minutes since that tweet, and hour since the initial delay they has yet to be a comment from Leigh and there has been minimal from Huddersfield.

It’s now been confirmed that the match has been abandoned due to that floodlight failure.

Leigh Leopards vs Huddersfield Giants has been abandoned due to floodlight failure.#CowbellArmy🐮🔔 pic.twitter.com/WJNPxLLSAI

— Huddersfield Giants 🐮🔔 (@Giantsrl) September 1, 2023