WIGAN BREAK HOODOO AS QUINS RUN OUT OF GAS
Wigan Warriors put an end to their Harlequins hoodoo in a captivating season-opener at the Stoop that lived up to its billing. Two tries a piece from teenagers Darrell Goulding and substitute Michael McIlorum, complemented by a perfect kicking performance from Pat Richards, saw the visitors come from behind to win 47-28.
Last season Wigan travelled to the Stoop twice, drawing one game and losing the other. One man in particular was hoping to break the curse: Warriors’ new chairman Ian Lenegan.
The software millionaire and former theatre producer bought out erstwhile chairman Dave Whelan’s 89 per cent in October, while retaining a 65 per cent share in Quins.
In unseasonably warm conditions, an expectant and convivial Stoop greeted Lenegan’s new club. The clement weather provided good ground underfoot, and should have been conducive to free-flowing football.
Nerves and ring-rustiness after a long off-season dominated, however, in a game littered with errors and penalties. But the mistakes did not detract from a pulsating encounter in which Quins, as Wigan coach Brian Noble offered, “ran out of petrol at the end.”
He continued: “At the start of the year most defences are a little bit rusty and you could see that in their team.”
It was the home side who drew first blood, much to the delight of the 8,014 spectators – Quins’ best ever crowd. After only three minutes Warriors’ Sean O’Loughlin’s ill-judged pass just outside his own 22 was gathered by Henry Paul.
The New Zealander shipped the ball to scrum-half Danny Orr, who in turn found Matt Gafa who managed to outpace Wigan’s debutant fullback, Richard Mathers.
Six minutes later Wigan were ahead through 19-year-old Goulding, who was found by Mathers on an overlap. Richards added the first two points of his immaculate kicking game – he laced over all nine opportunities.
Quins levelled the scores with ten minutes of the half remaining, after Scott Hill’s neat pass put fullback Mark McLinden, running from depth, in under the Wigan posts.
After McIlorum had bullied his way over, Hill crossed the whitewash himself two minutes before the break, scooping-up Gafa’s grubber-kick. Paul’s conversion took the score to knife-edge 16-all at the break.
The home side then carved out a 12 point lead thanks to a second score by Gafa, who shook off Mather’s efforts, and a slick try finished by Paul.
With 30 minutes remaining, the home supporters thought their team had done enough to ensure the bragging rights. But Wigan had other ideas, and second-row Harrison Hansen managed to reach over for a score.
Then Goulding sold a dummy and waltzed in from 25-yards out. Richards stepped up to tie the game at 28, and with the momentum Wigan never looked back.
Brian McDermott, the Quins’ coach, was critical of his team. “There were some areas of the game that we didn’t handle well when we finished our defensive set,” the former marine said.
“Especially in the second half the transition from offence to defence was not good enough. But I thought there was enough good stuff to prove that we can challenge and beat anybody.”
With a quarter-of-an-hour left on the clock, the impressive Iafeta Paleaaesina dropped over the Quins’ line and five minutes shy of the final hooter Wigan ensured the result, but McDermott’s team were running on empty.
Andy Coley, on his debut, put away Mickey Higham, who was scragged just short of the line. McIlorum, who turns 20 tomorrow gathered the ball to score.
Trent Barrett dropped a goal and Mathers iced the cake with a converted try to compound Quins’ misery. Lenegan’s celebrations were suitably reserved as a hand-clap and a smile saluted his first win as Wigan owner. But inside he would have been aglow with pride.
STAR MAN: DARRELL GOULDING
HARLEQUINS
McLinden, Wells, Howell, Gafa, Sheriffe, Orr, Hill, Temata, Randall, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Purdham, Grayshon, Paul
Replacements: Rinaldi, Ward, Haggerty, Mbu
WIGAN
Mathers, Colbon, Goulding, Carmont, Richards, Barrett, Leulai, Coley, Higham, Paleaaesina, Bailey, Hansen, O’Loughlin
Replacements: McLlorum, Prescott, Tomkins, O’Carroll
Referee: Gareth Hewer (Wakefield)
Wigan Warriors put an end to their Harlequins hoodoo in a captivating season-opener at the Stoop that lived up to its billing. Two tries a piece from teenagers Darrell Goulding and substitute Michael McIlorum, complemented by a perfect kicking performance from Pat Richards, saw the visitors come from behind to win 47-28.
Last season Wigan travelled to the Stoop twice, drawing one game and losing the other. One man in particular was hoping to break the curse: Warriors’ new chairman Ian Lenegan.
The software millionaire and former theatre producer bought out erstwhile chairman Dave Whelan’s 89 per cent in October, while retaining a 65 per cent share in Quins.
In unseasonably warm conditions, an expectant and convivial Stoop greeted Lenegan’s new club. The clement weather provided good ground underfoot, and should have been conducive to free-flowing football.
Nerves and ring-rustiness after a long off-season dominated, however, in a game littered with errors and penalties. But the mistakes did not detract from a pulsating encounter in which Quins, as Wigan coach Brian Noble offered, “ran out of petrol at the end.”
He continued: “At the start of the year most defences are a little bit rusty and you could see that in their team.”
It was the home side who drew first blood, much to the delight of the 8,014 spectators – Quins’ best ever crowd. After only three minutes Warriors’ Sean O’Loughlin’s ill-judged pass just outside his own 22 was gathered by Henry Paul.
The New Zealander shipped the ball to scrum-half Danny Orr, who in turn found Matt Gafa who managed to outpace Wigan’s debutant fullback, Richard Mathers.
Six minutes later Wigan were ahead through 19-year-old Goulding, who was found by Mathers on an overlap. Richards added the first two points of his immaculate kicking game – he laced over all nine opportunities.
Quins levelled the scores with ten minutes of the half remaining, after Scott Hill’s neat pass put fullback Mark McLinden, running from depth, in under the Wigan posts.
After McIlorum had bullied his way over, Hill crossed the whitewash himself two minutes before the break, scooping-up Gafa’s grubber-kick. Paul’s conversion took the score to knife-edge 16-all at the break.
The home side then carved out a 12 point lead thanks to a second score by Gafa, who shook off Mather’s efforts, and a slick try finished by Paul.
With 30 minutes remaining, the home supporters thought their team had done enough to ensure the bragging rights. But Wigan had other ideas, and second-row Harrison Hansen managed to reach over for a score.
Then Goulding sold a dummy and waltzed in from 25-yards out. Richards stepped up to tie the game at 28, and with the momentum Wigan never looked back.
Brian McDermott, the Quins’ coach, was critical of his team. “There were some areas of the game that we didn’t handle well when we finished our defensive set,” the former marine said.
“Especially in the second half the transition from offence to defence was not good enough. But I thought there was enough good stuff to prove that we can challenge and beat anybody.”
With a quarter-of-an-hour left on the clock, the impressive Iafeta Paleaaesina dropped over the Quins’ line and five minutes shy of the final hooter Wigan ensured the result, but McDermott’s team were running on empty.
Andy Coley, on his debut, put away Mickey Higham, who was scragged just short of the line. McIlorum, who turns 20 tomorrow gathered the ball to score.
Trent Barrett dropped a goal and Mathers iced the cake with a converted try to compound Quins’ misery. Lenegan’s celebrations were suitably reserved as a hand-clap and a smile saluted his first win as Wigan owner. But inside he would have been aglow with pride.
STAR MAN: DARRELL GOULDING
HARLEQUINS
McLinden, Wells, Howell, Gafa, Sheriffe, Orr, Hill, Temata, Randall, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Purdham, Grayshon, Paul
Replacements: Rinaldi, Ward, Haggerty, Mbu
WIGAN
Mathers, Colbon, Goulding, Carmont, Richards, Barrett, Leulai, Coley, Higham, Paleaaesina, Bailey, Hansen, O’Loughlin
Replacements: McLlorum, Prescott, Tomkins, O’Carroll
Referee: Gareth Hewer (Wakefield)
Labels: Harlequins Rugby League, Super League, Wigan Warriors
