Adam Keighran praises Wigan Warriors’ perfect response to Wembley triumph - ‘What a game to back up’
Wigan Today caught up with Adam Keighran after Wigan Warriors’ win over Catalans Dragons in Paris
Adam Keighran was delighted with Wigan Warriors’ response to Challenge Cup glory after they followed up their Wembley triumph with a convincing win in Paris.
Just seven days after lifting the Challenge Cup at Wembley with a dominant win over Hull KR, Matt Peet’s side produced another impressive display to overcome Catalans Dragons 40-16 in front of a 12,525-strong crowd at the Stade Jean-Bouin on Saturday.
The Warriors raced into a commanding 30-6 half-time lead before seeing out the victory in the French capital, extending their strong run of form heading into next weekend’s clash with Wakefield Trinity.
Keighran admitted there had been a big focus throughout the week on ensuring Wigan did not suffer a drop-off following the celebrations at Wembley.
“What a game to back up after last week,” the Australian told Wigan Today.
“It was really enjoyable, a different stadium, a good atmosphere and a good result.
“That’s something we spoke about. We want to be a team that can back it up. You can go and celebrate the big wins, but it’s about backing it up the week after, and I think we did a good job of it tonight.”
Wigan’s latest success came at the end of a hectic week which saw the squad return from London before travelling to Paris on Thursday.
Despite limited time on the training field, Keighran felt the players handled the challenge well and adapted to any disruption that came their way.
“We didn’t have much time on the field this week, I think we had one full session, but we knew what we had to do, and it was just getting the job done, and we did it,” he added.
“We had a delay for the flight, which sort of threw us off. We got here quite later than expected, so it’s just how you adapt.
“It’s about what you do the day after, get your recovery in and do what you need to do to feel as good as you can for the game, and I think we did that pretty well, so I think we just adapted.”
Next up for the Warriors is a trip to the DIY Kitchens on Friday night, with Peet’s side facing Wakefield, who enjoyed a 26-24 win over Hull KR on Saturday.