Wakefield Trinity 22-46 Wigan Warriors: Highlights, player ratings and talking points

Wakefield Trinity took on Wigan Warriors this afternoon at Belle Vue.

It couldn’t have started much worse for the hosts as Wigan raced into an 18-0 lead, and, though Wakefield clawed their way back to 18-12, the Warriors turned the screw before half-time to make it 28-12 at the break as Mason Lino was handed a yellow card.

Wigan scored two more tries six minutes following the resumption to effectively end the game as a contest at 40-12.

Wakefield did manage two tries of their own to reduce the deficit to 18 but Kai Pearce-Paul got his second to end the game at 46-22.

Highlights

Bevan French’s try early in the second-half was a thing of beauty; he hacked on a Harry Smith kick to somehow ground the ball before the dead-ball line.

Liam Byrne’s huge carries down the middle was a joy to behold.

Max Jowitt was able to sell a huge dummy to dot down in the second-half for Trinity

Talking points

1. Wigan too fast

Wigan’s attack was incredible to say the least with Bevan French, Harry Smith and Jai Field in superb form. It was so slick and so obviously worked on tirelessly on the training field. Matt Peet can take a lot of credit for the brilliant attack and Wigan cut the hosts apart on multiple occasions.

2. New boy impressed

Wakefield handed a deal to former Welsh rugby union winger Kyle Evans during the week and he impressed enough to suggest he will keep Tom Lineham out of the side for weeks to come. Evans has electric speed and had to deal with Kai Pearce-Paul and Liam Marshall all afternoon. It really was a baptism of fire for the new man.

3. Byrne the boy

Liam Byrne often doesn’t get the attention from the media, but the Irish international was in superb form this afternoon, taking some brilliant runs through the middle of the Wakefield defence.

4. Wakefield looking over their shoulder

Wakefield’s confidence will have been hit before kick-off even began with the news that Hull KR had gone down convincingly to Toulouse on Saturday night. That being said, another disappointing defeat leaves Trinity just four points clear of the French side with a mouthwatering tie at the Magic Weekend awaiting the two bottom-placed sides.

21-man squads

Wakefield Trinity

1 Max Jowitt – 9
36 Kyle Evans – 7
20 Jack Croft – 6
30 Corey Hall – 6
27 Lewis Murphy – 6
6 Jacob Miller – 6
7 Mason Lino – 5
15 Jai Whitbread – 7
9 Liam Hood – 5
10 Tinirau Arona – 5
11 Matty Ashurst – 6
13 Jay Pitts – 6
16 James Batchelor – 7
Substitutes
12 Kelepi Tanginoa – 6
14 Jordy Crowther – 6
34 Rob Butler – 6
35 David Fifita – 7
Also in 21-man squad
8 Eddie Battye
17 Lee Gaskell
22 Yusuf Aydin
24 Harry Bowes

Wigan Warriors

1 Bevan French – 9
24 Abbas Miski – 8
11 Willie Isa – 7
21 Kai Pearce-Paul – 9
5 Liam Marshall – 7
23 Jai Field – 8
16 Harry Smith – 8
8 Brad Singleton – 7
9 Sam Powell – 7
20 Liam Byrne – 10
12 Liam Farrell – 8
13 John Bateman – 7
22 Joe Shorrocks – 7
Substitutes
2 Jake Bibby – N/A
10 Patrick Mago – 8
17 Oliver Partington – 7
19 Ethan Havard – 7
Also in 21-man squad
7 Tommy Leuluai
15 Kaide Ellis
25 Sam Halsall
28 Brad O’Neill