York Knights<\/a> supporter \u2013 would have predicted at kick-off. But goodness, what a rollercoaster ride this was as Super League\u2019s newest team pushed arguably its biggest and most recognisable heavyweight every step of the way on a thrilling evening in Wigan.<\/p>\nNext weekend, Super League celebrates the 30th anniversary of its inaugural game. That night, Paris Saint-Germain announced their arrival as rugby league\u2019s big hope for expansion with victory over Sheffield. Like in 1996, the signs remain too early to make a definitive call but York are providing renewed vigour that there is life \u2013 and merit \u2013 in new Super League clubs.<\/p>\n
However, one constant from 30 years ago to today remains the might of Wigan, who appear to be the standard-bearers both on and off the field again this year. This may not have been theirmost sparkling display, with a Harry Smith drop goal ultimately the difference against a team who were a part-time operation and in the Championship just six months ago.<\/p>\n
But with 11 of their 17 homegrown, and several of them excelling here in the absence of the superstar duo Jai Field and Bevan French, Wigan\u2019s production line continues to churn out talent that, in truth, rugby league remains hugely reliant on. The star here was young full-back Noah Hodkinson, man of the match on his Super League debut and the player who scored a decisive second-half try.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were not at our clinical best, we were far from slick with the ball but there\u2019s a lot to admire and Noah typified that,\u201d Wigan\u2019s coach, Matt Peet, said after watching his side make it five wins from five and remain the only unbeaten side left standing in 2026. \u201cWe won\u2019t all be optimal all the time. The important thing is when you get tested, you show resolve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan Havard is tackled by York\u2019s Paul Vaughan (left) and Sam Cook during their competitive contest. Photograph: Richard Sellers\/PA<\/p>\n
And how his side had to show resolve. Prior to Wigan coming alive in the second half, York had forged a 14-0 lead courtesy of tries from Paul Vaughan and David Nofoaluma, but the momentum shifted when the Knights\u2019 Ata Hingano was sent to the sin-bin for a ruck infringement. By the time he returned, things had shifted Wigan\u2019s way decisively, courtesy of two tries for Liam Marshall.<\/p>\n
York held on until the break to lead 14-10 but it always felt as though eventually, Wigan\u2019s quality would come to the fore. That appeared to be the case when they went ahead for the first time courtesy of Hodkinson\u2019s sensational individual try, before York levelled the game up through a Danny Richardson penalty.<\/p>\n
Back came Wigan, though. Adam Keighran\u2019s try coupled with a goal and subsequent drop goal from the boot of Smith moved the Warriors two scores ahead with 10 minutes left and finally, it looked as though York\u2019s spirit had been broken. But they responded with a sensational long-range try finished by Hingano to narrow the gap to one in the dying embers.<\/p>\n
This time though, York eventually ran out of steam and Wigan held on. The Knights are bringing the competitiveness few expected them to and as Peet insisted afterwards, they deserve immense credit. But this, in the end, was the Warriors\u2019 night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"These were the nights that critics of Super League\u2019s decision to expand to 14 teams feared but as…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":551968,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":["post-551967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-rugby","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=551967"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551967\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/551968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=551967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=551967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=551967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}