Challenge Cup sixth round: Wigan Warriors through to quarter-finals after comeback win over Leeds Rhinos | Rugby League News

Wigan Warriors by way of to final eight of Problem Cup after overturning 10-point half-time deficit; Catalans Dragons face Warrington Wolves, whereas Salford Purple Devils tackle Huddersfield Giants in a while Saturday

Junior Nsemba (R) celebrates with Harry Smith after scoring a strive for Wigan

Bevan French sparked a blistering second-half revival as holders Wigan booked their place within the quarter-finals of the Problem Cup with a hard-fought 18-14 win over Leeds at Headingley.

Eight days after the Warriors blew a 14-point result in droop to a 40-18 defeat to the 12-player Rhinos of their Tremendous League conflict on the DW Stadium, the roles had been reversed as Matt Peet’s males scrubbed out an analogous deficit.

Jake Wardle scampered over to place Wigan in entrance for the primary time on 65 minutes, however Leeds missed a golden probability to at the very least draw stage late on when Harry Newman sprang clear solely to inexplicably fail to go inside to Richie Myler, who regarded sure to attain.

Such an engrossing finale between the Problem Cup’s two most profitable groups had regarded unlikely after a comparatively flat first half from which the Rhinos emerged 14-6 in entrance.

The quick response demanded by Warriors coach Peet to final week’s embarrassment had been sluggish in coming, as his patched-up aspect, nonetheless minus Jai Subject and with Ryan Hampshire making a second debut for the membership within the halves, toiled by way of the first-half hour.

Jake Wardle scores the successful strive for Wigan

Tom Holroyd pushed by way of a sluggish guests’ line to open the scoring on 9 minutes, Rhyse Martin including the extras for Rohan Smith’s aspect who themselves lacked injured duo Ash Handley and Blake Austin.

Wardle revived Wigan with a surge throughout the midway line, then had a strive dominated out for a ahead go by French, however the guests had been hit by the lack of Ethan Havard with a suspected dislocated elbow.

Martin stretched Leeds’ result in eight after an offside, then Newman went it alone as he juggled his method by way of a Havard-sized gap within the guests rearguard, evading French on the road.

Harry Newman had helped Leeds set up a half-time lead

Martin’s second conversion put his aspect 14-0 in entrance however Peet’s males rallied and 4 minutes later they capitalised on a knock-on by Derrell Olpherts, Harry Smith discovering French who crossed within the nook.

The momentum swung inside 30 seconds of the restart as Liam Farrell despatched French by way of a spot and below the posts for his second, Smith’s kick hauling the guests again inside 4 at 14-10.

The Wigan strain continued and so they had been stage on 53 minutes by way of spectacular 18-year-old Junior Nsemba, who ran onto a cool lay-off from Smith to notch his first strive on his fourth Tremendous League look.

Smith uncharacteristically scuffed his conversion, denying his aspect the possibility to take the lead for the primary time, however Wigan accomplished their turnaround on 65 after Myler fumbled a excessive ball on the sting of his personal 10, and the spectacular Wardle scampered over from the ensuing scrum.

Smith missed his fourth of 5, leaving Wigan’s lead at 18-14, and Newman ought to have made him pay for his inaccuracy late on, however in electing to repeat his single-handed heroics from the primary half, he bumped into French, and Leeds’ Problem Cup hopes had been over.