ROUND 2 SUPER LEAGUE WRAP: Leigh upset Saints

Round three of Super League threw up some great games, and some big results. Here is a round-up of this week’s games.

HULL FC 14-16 CATALAN DRAGONS 

Catalan Dragons made it two wins from two to start their 2017 campaign with a tight 16-14 victory, away at Hull FC. The game itself wasn’t great, it never got a chance to flow, through the constant blowing of the referee’s whistle. Part of it was the discipline of both sides, which was very poor on the night. That showed through both sides having a player sent to the sin-bin, Greg Bird for the Dragons and Liam Watts for FC. However, at times, the referee Robert Hicks could’ve let the game go. Luke Walsh would kick 12 points for Catalan to secure a great win for the French outfit. The first half was dominated by the forwards and ended on a high for FC when Tuimavave went over to put his side 8-4 up, going into halftime. Catalan would score just a minute into the second half through Richie Myler, following some weak defence from Hull. FC responded well through Liam Watts to take a 14-12 lead. However, Luke Walsh would kick two penalties to seal a win for the visiting team.

Hull FC: (8) 14 – Tries: Tuimavave, Watts – Goals: Sneyd 3/3

Catalan Dragons: (4) 16 – Tries: Myler – Goals: Walsh 5/5

Hull FC: Shaul: Fonua, Tuimavave, Griffin, Talanoa; Connor, Sneyd; Taylor, Houghton, Watts, Manu, Minichiello, Ellis.

Replacements: Green, Bowden, Washbrook, Thompson.

Sin Bin: Watts (67)

Catalans Dragons: Bosc; Broughton, Inu, Wiliame, Thornley; Walsh, Myler; Bird, Garcia, Horo, Moa, Aiton, Casty.

Replacements: Anderson, Bousquet, Baitieri, Da Costa.

Sin Bin: Bird (21)

Attendance: 13,544 – Referee: Robert Hicks

Venue: KCOM Stadium, Hull – Date/Time: Thursday 23rd February 2017 – 20:00pm GMT

WARRINGTON WOLVES 22-30 CASTLEFORD TIGERS

Warrington Wolves couldn’t backup their excellent win over Brisbane Broncos last week, as they were beaten 30-22 by the high-flying Tigers. Wolves would get off to a great start when Andre Savelio crashed over for his first try of the game. Then came an unbelievable 10 minutes of rugby from Castleford as they would run in for four tries though Jese Sene-Lefao, Zak Hardaker, Greg Eden and Luke Gale to give the Tigers a commanding 22-6 lead. Wolves hit back just before halftime through Tom Lineham to reduce the deficit to 22-10 going into halftime. The second half was a much tighter affair, as Warrington started to grow into the game. Lineham would get his second of the game to close the gap to just 22-16. However, they just couldn’t get close enough to scare Daryl Powell’s men, as the Tigers hit back through Greg Minikin to regain their two-try lead. Savelio would go over for his second of the night and yet again give Warrington a chance. But that was soon wiped out when Greg Eden would finish the game off with his second try of the game and secure a superb 30-22 win for Castleford.

Warrington Wolves: (10) 22 – Tries: Savelio 2, Lineham 2 – Goals: Patton 3/4

Castleford Tigers: (22) 30 – Tries: Sene-Lefao, Hardaker, Eden 2, Gale, Minikin – Goals: Gale 3/6

Warrington Wolves: Johnson; Russell, Evans, Atkins, Lineham; Brown, Patton; Cooper, Clark, Sims, Hughes, Savelio, Westerman.

Replacements: Dwyer, Crosby, Livett, Westwood.

Castleford Tigers: Hardaker, Minikin, Webster, Shenton, Eden; Chase, Gale; Lynch, Milner, Springer, Sene-Lefao, McMeeken, Massey.

Replacements: Millington, Moors, Cook, Monaghan.

Attendance: 11,374 – Referee: Phil Bentham

Venue: Haliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington – Date/Time: Friday 24th February 2017 – 20:00pm GMT

LEIGH CENTUIRONS 24-16 ST HELENS

Leigh Centurions got the result of the weekend and their first win since returning to Super League when they beat St Helens 24-16 at Leigh Sports Village. It was a sensational win for the newcomers, and one they needed to get early in the season. They got off to an unbelievable start when they led 18-0 after 30 minutes through tries from former Saints player Atelea Vea, Gareth Hock and Jamie Acton. Adam Swift would go over in the corner just before halftime, but Leigh held a deserved 18-4 lead at halftime. Saints did start the half better, and were rewarded when James Roby would go over from dummy-half to reduce the deficit to 18-10. However, on his return from injury, the experienced Micky Higham would dart through the Saints defence and go over for the Centurions fourth try, and the one that looked to seal the game with just over 10 minutes to go. Saints hit back through Adam Walmsley to give them a little hope, but it was too much too late, and Leigh sealed a famous 24-16 win against Super League giants, St Helens. It should be a win that will not only settle Leigh, but give them hope to go into their next game, away at the Super League and World Champions, Wigan Warriors.

Leigh Centurions: (18) 24 – Tries: Vea, Hock, Acton, Higham – Goals: Reynolds 4/4

St Helens: (4) 16 – Tries: Swift, Roby, Walmesly – Goals: Percival 2/3

Leigh Centurions: Brown; Higson, Crooks, Tonga, Dawson; Reynolds, Drinkwater; Hock, Higham, Green, Paterson, Vea, Hansen.

Replacements: Pelissier, Tickle, Hopkins, Acton.

St Helens: Lomax; Makinson, Morgan, Percival, Swift; Fages, Richardson; Amor, Lee, Douglas, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Peyroux, Wilkin.

Replacements: Walmsley, Roby, Thompson, Knowles.

Attendance: 9,000 – Referee: Ben Thaler

Venue: Leigh Sports Village – Date/Time: Friday 24th February 2017 – 20:00pm GMT

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 24-16 WAKEFIELD TRINITY

Huddersfield came from 16-8 down to beat Wakefield with a superb second half performance. The Giants needed to bounce back this week following their 30-20 loss at home to Salford last week. Coach Rick Stone would’ve been worried at halftime, but they responded well hitting Wakefield for 16 unanswered points to win the game. It was the Giants who got off to the best start, when Sam Wood went over for two tries in the opening 10 minutes to give his side an early 8-0 lead. For the rest of the first half, it was all Wakefield. They would run in for three tries through Liam Finn and a double from Ben Jones-Bishop to give Wakefield a 16-8 lead at halftime. The Giants had work to do, and they responded well. In what was a superb 10-minute spell for Huddersfield, they went over for two tries in as many minutes through Ukuma Ta’ai and Oliver Roberts. Then, Jermaine McGillvary would seal the deal with his forth try of the season, and wrap up a great 24-16 comeback win for the Huddersfield Giants.

Huddersfield Giants: (8) 24 – Tries: Wood 2, Ta’ai, Roberts, McGillvary – Goals: Brough 2/5

Wakefield Trinity: (16) 16 – Tries: Finn, Jones-Bishop 2 – Goals: Williams 2/4

Huddersfield Giants: Gaskell; McGillvary, S Wood, Mellor, Murphy; Brough, Brierley; Rapira, Leeming, Ikahihifo, Ta’ai, Ferguson, Hinchcliffe.

Replacements: Wakeman, Roberts, Clough, Smith.

Wakefield Trinity: Grix; Johnstone, Lyne, B Tupou, Jones-Bishop; Miller, Williams; Fifita, Finn, England, Ashurst, Kirmond, Huby.

Replacements: Wood, Arona, Crowther, Walker.

Attendance: – Referee: Chris Kendall

WIDNES VIKINGS 26-28 WIGAN WARRIORS

Link to Four Pointer: https://nothingbutleague.com/2017/02/25/four-pointer-widnes-vikings-26-28-wigan-warriors/

LEEDS RHINOS 20-14 SALFORD RED DEVILS

Link to Four Pointer: https://nothingbutleague.com/2017/02/26/four-pointers-leeds-20-14-salford/