The faster, quicker ruck rules suit Wigan Warriors down to the ground as they continue their unbeaten start to the Super League season.
That’s according to scrum-half Harry Smith, who scored two tries on Thursday night in a dominant 54-0 win over Leigh Leopards at the Brick Community Stadium. The Warriors have won the three Super League games they have played this season and they can put a lot of that down to how they have dominated the speed and tempo of games.
With referees looking for faster ruck speed this season, Wigan got themselves on top early against Leigh, rolling the Leopards down the field, getting quick play the balls and making the most of penalties and six agains to score three tries inside the opening 25 minutes.
And, they never took their foot off the gas, with Leigh struggling to keep their heads above water at times. Ultimately then, the Warriors scored nine tries on the night, with standout performances from a number of forwards, who appear to have mastered the art of ruck speed on both sides of the ball.
“It’s a lot better,” Smith told Sky Sports after the game. “I was speaking to the ref throughout the game, pushing him to keep this pace in the game.
“It suits us and I think it suits the game as well. There’s high scoring games, physical contests and it’s all about dominating the ruck now and having that physical contact in the tackle to control the ruck and if you don’t have that, it shows, because I thought we rolled them really easy and posted points.
“I think it gives us (half-backs} a bit more time on the ball, when you’re getting that quick ruck, there’s no line speed, so there’s no chance to make decisions and when I have Bev and Jai outside me, the pace they can the space outside me, it shows.”
And, in praising the work of the forward pack in front of him, Smith gave a nod to both Ethan Havard and Sam Eseh, who particularly caught the eye against the sorry Leopards.
“I think all the middles have got to take praise tonight,” he added. “They’ve worked really hard in the off-season and people have commented about how much gym we’ve been doing, trying to get bigger, stronger, faster and I think it’s showing. Ethan, Sam Eseh, lads like that, they’re taking it to them on the front foot and it’s easy for me to play behind that.
“He is one big human and he takes a lot of stopping, I don’t know how much he weighs. He’s the first in training every day doing extra con, taking his opportunity. We were injured together in the off-season but he was just working really hard to get opportunity and I think the first two games he’s taken it, easily.”
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