Betfred Super League

Wigan (28) 46

Tries: Marshall 3, Field, Eckersley 2, Keighran, Wardle Goals: Keighran 7

Hull KR (0) 0

Wigan Warriors ascended to the top of the Super League after delivering a commanding performance against Hull KR on a poignant night dedicated to the late Sir Billy Boston.

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Boston, renowned for his illustrious career with Wigan, tallied an extraordinary 478 tries in 488 games, contributing to three Challenge Cups and a Championship during his tenure. He passed away earlier this week at the age of 92.

Liam Marshall highlighted the evening with a hat-trick, while Jai Field, Zach Eckersley, Adam Keighran, and Jake Wardle also joined the scoring for Wigan.

The visiting Hull KR struggled throughout the match, managing only a disallowed second-half try from Frankie Dearlove, as they battled against the severe weather and poor playing conditions in the latter stages of the game.

With this victory, Wigan moves two points ahead of the Leeds Rhinos, while Hull KR holds onto sixth place, remaining ahead of St Helens by two points as they aim for a final play-off position in their last two regular-season matches.

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Boston’s legacy includes being a Great Britain international and a World Cup winner, and he made history as the first black British player to compete in Australia and New Zealand during a 1954 tour.

Wigan honored Boston by placing wreaths and singing “Jerusalem” before the kickoff, as both teams paid their respects. The Warriors also donned jerseys with “Billy” emblazoned on the front due to an agreement with their primary sponsor, showing their respect for the rugby legend.

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Wigan wasted no time establishing dominance as Marshall kicked off the scoring after just nine minutes, securing the ball from Harry Smith’s high kick. Soon after, another pinpoint kick from Smith allowed Field to score his 100th career try.

Eckersley found the end zone shortly thereafter, aided by a perfect 40/20 kick from Smith, with another try coming just before the half-hour mark during a frenetic spell of play where Wigan kept their attack alive. Just before halftime, Marshall executed an impressive dive to score, and Keighran resumed the second half on a high note.

The Robins fielded a depleted lineup, with only eight players from the previous week’s loss to Toulouse Olympique making the trip, resting several key players and missing others due to suspensions.

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This match contrasted with their earlier encounter this season when Wigan had fielded a heavily rotated youth squad in a 62-4 defeat, followed by their subsequent meeting at Wembley in the Challenge Cup final.

Dearlove believed he had scored during his KR debut with a slide to the line on a drenched pitch, but his effort was nullified as Bevan French made a remarkable defensive stop to hold the ball up before Dearlove could dot it down.

Marshall completed his hat-trick effortlessly as the match drew to a close, with Wardle sealing the victory for Wigan, who now puts pressure on Leeds, which will need to overcome St Helens on Friday to reclaim the top position.

Wigan: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, McDermott, Partington, Ellis.

Interchanges: Walters, Mago, Kerr, O’Connor.

Hull KR: Broadbent; Horne, Gorman, Booth, Kershaw; Mourgue, Charles; Sue, Leyland, Luckley, Martin, Dearlove, Lawton.

Interchanges: Amone, Fishwick, Murphy, Woods.

Referee: Aaron Moore.

Betfred Super League

Wigan (28) 46

Tries: Marshall 3, Field, Eckersley 2, Keighran, Wardle Goals: Keighran 7

Hull KR (0) 0

Wigan Warriors moved top of Super League as they thrashed Hull KR on an emotional evening as the Cherry and Whites paid tribute to the late Sir Billy Boston.

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Boston, who scored a remarkable 478 tries in 488 games for Wigan and helped them win three Challenge Cups and the Championship during his time with the club, died earlier this week at the age of 92.

Liam Marshall scored a hat-trick of tries as Jai Field, Zach Eckersley, Adam Keighran and Jake Wardle all got on the scoresheet in a decent night’s work for the hosts.

It was a difficult evening for the visitors who, other than Frankie Dearlove having a second-half try chalked off, offered little in trying conditions with torrential rain making an impact on the playing surface for the second half.

Victory for Wigan means they move two points clear of Leeds Rhinos, while Hull KR remain in sixth and head into their final two games of the regular season two points clear of St Helens in pursuit of the final play-off spot.

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A Great Britain international and World Cup winner, Boston was the first black British player to play in Australia and New Zealand when he joined the Great Britain side which toured there in 1954.

Last year, Boston became the first player in rugby league’s 130-year history to receive a knighthood.

Wreaths were laid and a rendition of Jerusalem was sung in the lead-up to kick-off in tribute to Boston as both sides paid their respects.

Wigan, who wore “Billy” on the front of their shirts thanks to an agreement with their primary sponsor, did not take long to get going against Hull KR.

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Marshall got Wigan going after nine minutes when he collected Harry Smith’s high kick to the corner and another Smith kick soon after sent Field away to score his 100th career try.

Eckersley went in shortly after as Wigan gained ground courtesy of Smith’s pinpoint 40/20 kick and he scored his second try just before the half-hour mark after a frantic period in which the hosts somehow kept their attack alive and worked it wide for him to run in at the corner.

Before the first half was out, Marshall put in an acrobatic dive to dot down and Keighran got the second half going.

The Robins had fielded a depleted side with only eight of the 17 from last week’s loss to Toulouse Olympique featuring in the trip to the Brick Community Stadium, with Jez Litten, Tom Davies and Peta Hiku rested, while Mikey Lewis and Tevita Pangai Jr were still suspended.

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It was a shift from earlier this season when Wigan named a heavily rotated and youthful side in a 62-4 defeat in a Super League game before the two sides met again at Wembley in the Challenge Cup final nine days later.

Dearlove thought he had scored on his KR debut when he slid to the line on a pitch still holding water after an earlier downpour, but his try was chalked off after Bevan French put in an incredible defensive effort to hold the ball up before the young centre could ground it.

Marshall then brought up his hat-trick with relative ease as the game closed out and Wardle put the gloss on a win which means that Leeds, with their vastly superior points difference, will have to beat St Helens on Friday to regain top spot.

Wigan: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, McDermott, Partington, Ellis.

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Interchanges: Walters, Mago, Kerr, O’Connor.

Hull KR: Broadbent; Horne, Gorman, Booth, Kershaw; Mourgue, Charles; Sue, Leyland, Luckley, Martin, Dearlove, Lawton.

Interchanges: Amone, Fishwick, Murphy, Woods.

Referee: Aaron Moore.