Wigan Warriors: Five things we learned from the victory over Toulouse (H)

1. A solid performance

It was a composed performance from Matty Peet’s side on Friday night.

They went about their business well, and played some intelligent stuff.

Following their defeat to Wakefield, it was important to quickly get back to winning ways, and they did that with ease.

Two tries in the opening 10 minutes gave them a good foundation, which they then steadily built on.

It was probably the perfect kind of game for Wigan at this stage of the season, as they were allowed to conserve energy throughout the game.

While they weren’t at full throttle, they always seemed in control, and got what they needed.

2. Another hat-trick for Bevan

Hat-tricks and Bevan French have gone hand-in-hand this season.

His treble on Friday was his fourth of the year, and took his total up to 27 tries in Super League, with three games still remaining.

For a player who had no pre-season and started the campaign a few months later than everyone else, his stats are not bad reading at all.

As soon as he receives the ball in the slightest bit of space, you know something could happen.

You had to feel sorry for Chris Hankinson for French’s second, as he found himself in a two v one situation against the winger and Jai Field.

Meanwhile, Cade Cust also claimed a brace on Friday, as well as creating plenty of excitement and really pulling the strings alongside Harry Smith.

3. Depth is key

Abbas Miski received plenty of praise at full time for his performance against Toulouse.

He’s a great player for Wigan to have at their disposal.

While his time on the pitch has been limited, he has developed and improved with each outing throughout the campaign.

He played his part in Wigan’s solid display, while also allowing Liam Marshall to have a rest ahead of a busy end to the season.

The return of John Bateman and Liam Farrell was another major boost for Wigan, and with a few more players also set to return, they should be in good shape as the play-offs approach.

4. Too big a task for Toulouse

Results on Friday all but relegated Toulouse.

It’s a shame as they’ve been a great addition to the competition, but the challenge has ended up being too much for them.

The decision should’ve been made at the start of the season to give them a safety net for the good of the wider game, but unfortunately that ship has now sailed.

At one stage it looked as if they might stay up, but it just became too much.

While they’ve been able to compete with teams for 60 minutes, they’ve eventually become unstuck.

Against Wigan they were never in it, and looked like a team short of ideas.

The effort was there from them, but it was clear confidence was in short supply.

5. Warriors celebrate inclusivity day

It was a classy touch by Wigan to welcome all 11 of their teams to the DW Stadium for a lap of honour on Friday night.

It’s certainly something the club should be applauded for, as it demonstrates rugby league is for everyone.