Stylish Warriors put Quins to the sword
Wigan beat Harlequins 40-12 in their JJB Stadium Super League clash.
The Warriors ran in eight tries against Quins, who were reduced to 12-men when David Howell was sent off for a high tackle on Sam Tomkins.
Tomkins was later sin-binned for repeat dissent. But that couldn't take the shine off a superb display by Brian Noble's side in front of 14,977 fans - a record home crowd for a fixture against Harlequins/London in Super League.
Karl Pryce made his first appearance since April and, as expected, Sam Tomkins replaced crocked Tim Smith in the starting line-up.
Harlequins rolled up to the JJB Stadium in fifth position but having lost their last two matches, against Leeds and Wakefield. Influential stand-off Luke Dorn and skipper Rob Purdham missed both of those matches through injury, and they were again absent from the Quins team.
Wigan made a blistering start to run in three tries inside 12 minutes.
They opened their account in the second minute when Sean O'Loughlin burst through a gap after a neat pass from Phil Bailey. The loose forward then arced away from the full-back, offloaded to George Carmont and the centre's overhead pass was coolly collected by Pat Richards, who touched down but was unable to convert.
Powerful running from Paul Prescott and Andy Coley eased Wigan upfield on their next attack, and after Pryce went close in the corner, Mark Riddell crossed for his third try of the season by collecting Sam Tomkins' measured grubber kick.
Richards made no mistake with the conversion, putting Wigan 10-0 up inside as many minutes.
Then Pryce crossed in the corner in the 12th minute – though winger Amos Roberts deserved credit for wrestling the ball from Quins winger Will Sharp's grasp following a towering, cross-field kick by the crafty Thomas Leuluai.
Quins slowly began to assert themselves into the match, and when a grounded Richards was beaten to a high-ball by Matt Gafa, Quins' makeshift loose forward touched down for a try that Danny Orr converted.
The game settled for a spell but reignited when Howell felled Sam Tomkins with a high shot and, after a brief melee, the Quins centre was red-carded.
Wigan immediately made their numerical advantage count, O'Loughlin's bullet-like flat pass to Carmont sending the Samoan centre over for a try in the 29th minute that edged them 18-6 ahead.
And they delighted the home fans with a scorching try five minutes later to tighten their grip on the match before half-time.
Leuluai regathered his own chip and – after Sam Tomkins, Mike McIlorum and Bailey had advanced the ball – Roberts spun and jinked through a scattered defence for a try that Richards converted to make it 24-6 at the break.
O'Loughlin pulled up lame in the opening minute of the second-half – without a defender near him – and left the field two minutes later.
But Wigan overcame the disruption and extended their lead soon after when industrious work from Bailey – who enjoyed a fine game – allowed Joel Tomkins to force his way over.
Sharp had a try ruled out by video referee Ian Smith after placing a foot in touch, and when Melling spilled a ball close to his line, it was the invite Wigan needed to power ahead with their seventh try, this time through Leuluai. Richards converted – his third goal from seven attempts – to make it 34-6.
And minutes later Kiwi World Cup winner Leuluai grabbed his second as he weaved his way through a tired and disjointed Quins line. Richards put the home side 40-6 ahead.
Roberts defused a Quins attack and then the visitors were denied by the video referee, but their persistence paid off when Luke Gale burrowed over for a try that Orr converted.
If that score put a momentary dampener on Wigan fans' night, their spirits soared when the scoreboard flashed up the final score from The Willows: Salford 20 St Helens 10.
Both teams finished with 12 men as Sam Tomkins was sin-binned by Steve Ganson for repeat dissent – just seconds before the announcement that he had won the sponsors' man of the match award.
Wigan: Phelps; Roberts, Pryce, Carmont, Richards; S Tomkins, Leuluai; Coley, Riddell, Prescott, Bailey, Hansen, O'Loughlin.
Subs: Fielden, Paleaaesina, J Tomkins, McIlorum.
Harlequins: Melling; Wells, Clubb, Howell, Sharp; Gale, Orr; Ward, Randall, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Williamson, Temata, Gala.
Subs: Heckinberg, Robinson, Haggerty, Gardner.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Wigan
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
