What really happened at Leigh Leopards vs Huddersfield Giants

Wigan Warriors moved to the top of the league last night in a huge night where Leeds Rhinos, Hull FC and Warrington Wolves learnt more about their play-off chances with Salford Red Devils losing and Hull KR stunning now former league leaders Catalans Dragons.

But in another huge game, Leigh Leopards took on Huddersfield Giants but the game was abandoned after a 55 minute delay after a floodlight failure.

According to reports, the match was stopped around the 50 minute mark. Players initially stayed on the field with fans shining torches onto the field.

Liam Moore then took the players into the dressing room but soon players and officials were appearing on the touchline to discuss what next and around 10 o’clock it was decided that the game should be abandoned due to spectator safety.

Ian Watson also shed light on exactly what happened:

“No, nothing. I’ve seen lights go off before but then they’ve kind of regenerated and come back on but nothing quite to the level of that to be fair.

“It’s just an electrical fault, it’s tripped out. It can happen and it’s happened at a terrible point as well when the game is in the balance at 16-12.

“We’d started getting momentum back and then they did as well and it was turning out probably going to be into a decent game as well I thought, but yeah, it’s happened and we can’t control that.”

Huddersfield Giants travelled to the Leigh Sports Village to face the Leopards with the two teams entering following contrasting results, the Leopards having lost both games since their famous Wembley win whereas the Giants had kept their season alive with victory over Leeds Rhinos.

Leigh still sit eight points clear of Huddersfield with a fourth place finish for the 2022 Championship winners looking likely, whereas for Huddersfield their finishing spot could range from fifth to tenth.

If they’re to achieve a finish of fifth and playoff rugby league then they’ll likely have to win all four remaining games, starting tonight, but that was something Adrian Lam would be intent on stopping as he demanded a response from las week’s humiliating 52-10 loss to Hull KR.

As for the Giants they edged out Leeds Rhinos at Headingley drawing them level onto 20 points, four outside the playoffs with eight to play for, meaning that Ian Watson’s side are almost at a stage of four must win games.

The Giants changed their spine with Will Pryce moving to full back whilst Jake Connor paired Tui Lolohea in the halves following Olly Russell’s season ending hand injury.

As for the Leopards they have named their squad and Josh Charnley passes as fit after concerns over his fitness for the game with the Leopards naming a squad close to full strength, barring the long term injury to Ricky Leutele.

Adrian Lam got his reaction from last week’s loss almost immediately with Josh Charnley scoring after just six minutes to put the Leopards in the lead.

That lead lasted just under ten minute when Jake Connor showed fancy footwork to cross over and score, with Will Pryce’s conversion pushing the Giants in front 6-4.

It didn’t last long though with Charnley scoring his second just minutes later which saw him break John Woods’ club record for most tries in a season in the top division.

His wing partner then scored just after the half hour mark to make the lead 16-6 and put Huddersfield forty minutes away from surely facing no playoff rugby.

Jake Connor tried to fix that though as he scored his second of the game early in the second half to make it 16-12 but minutes later the floodlights failed at the Leigh Sports Village.