Round 17
Wigan Warriors 30 d. Les Catalans Dragons 0

2007 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Warriors record Super League double over Catalans
Sun June 17, 2007
Source: www.wiganwarriors.com

Wigan Warriors recorded a Super League double this season with a win over the Catalans Dragons at the JJB Stadium on Friday night.

After a narrow win over the Dragons in Perpignan back in February and a Semi-Final Cup clash between the pair to come at the end of July this was an important two points for Wigan. Tries from Bailey and Barrett in the first half and Ashton, Richards and Calderwood in the second made it a comfortable win in the end. The Warriors scoring five tries without reply.

It was the Catalans who started the brightest, a couple of testing Stacey Jones grubber kicks into the in goal area .Winger Justin Murphy lucky to escape injury as he chased one of them and ended up over the advertising boards, somersaulted and landed in the stand. Thankfully, he was able to get up and carry on in the game.

The video referee denied the Dragons a try on 17 minutes. A Jones kick came off Mickey Higham and bounced into the hands of Greenshields but he was adjudged off side and that the Wigan player didn't make a play for the ball.

The first points came on 19 minutes, Chan penalised and Richards struck a penalty goal, 2-0.

A great move from Wigan on 23 minutes saw the Warriors break through Leuluai and Ashton. Mogg held on in the tackle and was sent to the sin bin by Steve Ganson. Straight from the penalty Wigan spread it left then right, Barrett, O'Loughlin to Bailey and it was the Warriors centre with the try out wide, his 4th try for the club. Richard's superb conversion made it 8-0.

Two minutes later Wigan were in again and it was Trent Barrett who received a pass some 60 metres from the Catalans line and the stand off sped away, dummied and scored. He had options both left and right but Barrett showed his speed and class to score his 13th try of the season. Richard's goal extended the lead to 14-0.

The Dragons paying for being down to 12 men conceding two tries in Mogg's absence. That's the way it stayed until the interval.

A penalty goal from Richard's on 50 minutes made it 16-0. Two minutes later the Warriors just about had it won with their third try of the night. Thomas Leuluai and Harrison Hansen sending Chris Ashton away for the try down the left hand side. The goal was added, 22-0.

A Leuluai kick to the corner saw Pat Richards the quickest to react for Wigan's fourth try on 63 minutes, this time he missed the extras, 26-0.

Within sixty seconds it was try time again for the cherry and whites. Barrett sending Mark Calderwood away for the touchdown, Calderwood with pace to elude the trailing Catalans defenders, 30 nil, again the kick was missed.

A good win then for Brian Nobles men and maybe just as pleasing as the points scored was to stop the Dragons from scoring at all.

Report source: www.wiganwarriors.com

Article:Noble reflects on Catalans win
Article: Potter grateful for Murphy escape


Barrett shines as Wigan dismantle Catalans
Sat June 16, 2007
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Wigan Warriors consolidated fourth place in the engage Super League table by beating Catalans Dragons in a rehearsal for next month's Challenge Cup semi-final.

Spectacular long-distance tries from stand-off Trent Barrett, full-back Chris Ashton and winger Mark Calderwood were the highlight of a dominant performance from the home side.

The Dragons had a real fright early on when winger Justin Murphy took a nasty tumble over the perimeter wall chasing Stacey Jones' kick to the corner.

Happily he escaped injury despite landing on the concrete steps at the foot of the stand but there were an anxious few minutes before he was back on his feet.

Video referee Ben Thaler ruled against the Catalans when Clint Greenshields touched down from a deflected Jones kick, the official deciding he was offside.

Wigan - missing four senior players through injury - were left fuming themselves when Thomas Leuluai darted in only to have the score ruled out by referee Steve Ganson who had already blown up to sin-bin Adam Mogg for a professional foul.

With their rivals down to 12, the Warriors cashed in on the man advantage with two tries in three minutes from Aussies Phil Bailey and the inspirational Barrett.

The former Kangaroo struck from inside his own half, dummying his way past Greenshields to register his 13th try of the season.

Rugby union-bound full-back Ashton also scored from long range in the second half after David Vaealiki sent him on his way.

It was his 12th of the campaign and took his personal engage Super League points tally to 100.

The Warriors then cut loose with further tries from Calderwood and Pat Richards, who also landed five goals to smash through the 200-point barrier for the season.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: Potter grateful for Murphy escape

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