Wigan battle back to beat brave Leigh
DEPLETED Wigan came from 18-0 behind to claim victory and deny neighbours Leigh a fairy tale result on their return to Super League.
The Centurions were on course for a famous victory after running in three tries without reply after 25 minutes.
But the Warriors dug deep, especially after losing new signing Jai Field with a hamstring injury 19 minutes into his debut which could see him miss the next six weeks, to score four
unanswered tries, two of them from Jake Bibby, to get their season off to a successful start.
Wigan coach Adrian Lam will be mightily relieved to get the points after going into the game without his two high-profile Australians Jackson Hastings and Bevan French and three firstchoice threequarters.
They played most of the game with two back-row forwards, Willie Isa and the returning John Bateman, in the centre spots but gradually weathered an early storm to boss the second half.
Leigh coach John Duffy, whose side were fast-tracked back into the top flight following the rejection of Toronto Wolfpack, will take just as many positives from the game.
Still building his squad having had precious little preparation time, Duffy gave debuts to nine players, including two youngsters on loan from St Helens, and watched them rock last year’s Grand Final runners-up with their boundless energy and enthusiasm.
French, meanwhile, is finally on his way back to the UK.
He will have to complete a five-day quarantine period when he lands back, and return a negative Covid test, before he can link-up with the rest of the Warriors’ squad.