Why Wigan Warriors' right edge was key in Wakefield Trinity win with Adam Keighran influence underlined
Wigan Warriors coach Matt Peet paid tribute to his side’s right edge following their hard-fought 26-22 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals, with Adam Keighran praised for his leadership and influence.
Wigan overturned a 12-0 deficit to secure their place in the semi-finals, where they will face rivals St Helens, and speaking post-match, Peet praised the resilience shown across his team, particularly on the right edge.
“I’m really proud of some of the performances on the back of what we did in training, particularly our right edge,” Peet told the BBC. “I thought Jack (Farrimond) took some big steps and played very tough – that probably summed us up today. It was ballsy.”
The Warriors’ right edge was strong on both sides of the ball. Young winger Zach Eckersley scored twice and impressed in both attack and defence, but Peet was keen to praise the collective effort behind the improvement.
“Some of the kicks Zach fielded coming off his own goal-line were great,” Peet said. “But our right edge, honestly, I can’t commend them enough.
“In professional sport, you know your own weaknesses, and when you’ve been pulled apart for a few weeks, you take it personally as an edge and as a team. I thought Zach deserved everything he got today, and I’m really proud.”
Central to that response was goal-kicking centre Keighran, who Peet revealed had a big influence on right edge matters during the week.
“Adam has taken a lot of responsibility leading that edge this week, speaking in meetings and guiding practice, and that’s part of being a team,” he added.
Eckersley’s performance was made more impressive given his direct opponent, England international Tom Johnstone, but Peet felt his side managed the threat well overall.
“Tom is a freakish athlete, isn’t he? You never quite know when you’ve got hold of him,” Peet said. “It was probably a great game for the neutrals because there was always a threat. Even at the end, it felt like we could lose it, but we did well to contain him for large parts.”
Wigan’s defensive resolve proved decisive in the closing stages, with Peet highlighting the importance of effort and attitude when defensive structure breaks down.
“A lot of it was scramble efforts and desire,” he said. “Wakefield throw a lot at you, but I thought we had a bit more desire – something where St Helens outdid us last week.”
After the Good Friday defeat to Saints, Peet insisted the focus had been simple.
“There’s no secret to it – it’s about dealing with what’s in front of you, making decisions and covering your mates,” he continued. “I don’t hold the players to task too much on the decisions they make, but the communication and their attitude to cover for one another is what defines good defensive teams, I think.”
Despite falling 12-0 behind early doors at Wakefield, Peet praised his players’ composure to come back into the game.
"I thought even in that opening period, the tries were pretty soft in isolation, but we were alright in the cycle," Peet said. “I commend the players for holding their nerve in that period.”