‘Hit slow play hard’
Star Aussie a sure Brett to dash Warriors’ dream
ADRIAN LAM admitted Wigan’s sloppy start cost them as Brett Morris’ first-half hat-trick put paid to their hopes of a record fifth World Club Challenge win.
The Warriors’ rich history in the competition has been built on steely resolve in iconic wins over the likes of Manly in 1987 and Brisbane in 1994.
But there was little of evidence that when Morris escaped their defence three times in the space of 29 first-half minutes to establish a match-winning lead.
Lam’s team – to their considerable credit – dragged themselves back into an often gripping clash with smart finishes by wingers Tom Davies and Liam Marshall.
But they had left themselves with too much of a mountain to climb, and Daniel Tupou’s late try sealed matters, with Liam Farrell suffering a suspected torn bicep to deepen Wigan woes.
Lam said: “It was a lot better second half but we just let a couple of soft tries in at the start. That’s three poor starts this year and it’s not good enough.
“But I was proud of the efforts and we’re going to get smarter.”
Lam’s counterpart Trent Robinson had made it clear his side would be taking the competition seriously, and so it proved as they moved level with Wigan on four World Club Challenge wins.
Robinson said: “That was really tough. The boys stood tall and had to scrap and fight hard to find a way to get out of it.”
On the performance of Morris, on debut with his new club, Robinson added: “The stuff he did at the start of the game was very special.”
Kangaroos international Morris clinched a second man of the match award in this competition, having scored twice in St George Illawarra’s 2011 win on the same ground.
He said: “There’s something about this field I really love, and I think I showed my new team-mates what I can do.”
Morris did that in the third minute, as he shrugged off Oliver Gildart and Thomas Leuluai to score, before stretching out despite the attention of four Wigan defenders for his second.
Wigan winger Davies responded after a smart Gildart pass but it was 4-14 at the break when Morris took a long ball from the excellent Luke Keary.
The home side raised hopes of a memorable comeback when Marshall picked a George Williams pass off his toes and finished superbly in the corner.
But Keary kicked for Tupou to clinch a ninth Australian win in the last 11 of these clashes. Hull KR
22 8
London Broncos
12
SUPER-TRIM prop Mitch Garbutt plundered two tries as Hull KR produced a stirring second-half performance to claim another home win.
Australian prop Garbutt, who won two Super League Grand Finals with Leeds Rhinos, touched down twice after London led 6-4 at the break thanks to Matty Gee’s touchdown and Kieran Dixon’s goal. But Craig
20
Hall (right) also crossed the Broncos’ try-line and kicked two conversions in the impressive fightback.
“Mitch is coming on and making a difference,” said Rovers’ coach Tim Sheens.
“His carries are great, he’s got good feet and he’s clever with the ball. We set him some targets on body fat and he’s achieved those.
“He still wants to lose a bit more but he is a different shape to what he has been the last couple of years.” Salford
14
Leeds
46
JACK WALKER brought surprise leaders Salford down to earth with a badly-needed win for Leeds.
The Red Devils topped the table after two games, while the Rhinos were win-less and bottom.
But Dave Furner’s men, who had lost to Warrington and Wigan, looked a class apart.
Full-back Walker (above), 19, led the way with a hat-trick to the delight of new coach Furner. He said: “He is only young, playing in a position that holds a lot of responsibility, but he is very brave.
“His courage is something that has stood out to me from day one. He’s shown a lot of maturity.”
Konrad Hurrell grabbed two tries, while Adam Cuthbertson, Matt Parcell and Ash Handley also weighed in with touchdowns. RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has called on World Snooker to show some teeth over slow play.
The authorities are finally addressing the practice with average shot times published in a ‘name and shame’ move, with threats of fines or even bans for those persistently exceeding 30 seconds per shot.
‘The Rocket’ said: “Unless you are going to make an example of someone, then players will carry on getting away with it.
“There needs to be a player getting punished for it, and then it will stop, and others will think, ‘I don’t want that to be me’.” EMIRATES FA CUP 5th Round DONCASTER (0) 0 C PALACE (2) 2 14,010 Schlupp 8 Meyer 45 BRENTFORD (1) 1 Watkins 28 11,261 SWANSEA (0) 4
Daniels 49 (og)
James 53
Celina 66
Byers 90
BRISTOL CITY (0) 0 WOLVES (1) 1 24,394 I Cavaleiro 28
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP BLACKBURN (0) 0 MIDDLESBRO (1) 1 13,249 Assombalonga 19
SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP KILMARNOCK (0) 0 CELTIC (0) 1 11,916 Brown 90 MOTHERWELL (1) 2 HEARTS (1) 1 Hastie 13 Naismith 37 Turnbull 90 5,091
WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE WIGAN (4) 8 SYDNEY (14) 20 T: Davies T: Morris 3 Marshall Tupou
G: Taukeiaho 2 SUPER LEAGUE
HULL KR (4) 22 BRONCOS (6) 12 T: Linnett T: Gee, Pitts Garbutt 2 G: Dixon 2 Hall
G: Drinkwater
Hall 2
SALFORD (6) 14
T: Lussick, Jones
G: Sio 3 G Monfils (Fra) bt S Wawrinka (Swi) 6-3 1-6 6-2
Emirates FA Cup 5th Round Chelsea v Man Utd (7.30)