Wigan head coach Shaun Wane admitted his relief as the Warriors ruined Rangi Chase’s return to English rugby league action with a tight 28-22 victory over Castleford.
Former St George stand-off Chase returned to the Tigers starting line up after a two-match ban for a reckless shoulder charge and could have easily been toasting victory.
With the score locked at 22-22, Chase sent a drop goal against the post before Chris Tuson scored the more important of his two tries at the death to hand Wigan the win.
Tries from Ben Flower, Pat Richards and Tuson gave Wigan the lead but Jake Webster pulled one back before Jamie Ellis’ sole effort and Justin Carney’s double levelled matters after Michael McIlorum’s score.
And, with Chase’s return ruined as well as Castleford’s unbeaten home record during this year’s Super League campaign, Wane afforded himself a slight smile.
“I thought we played well in parts, I thought we just weren’t consistent enough,” said Wane.
“When we played well we looked good especially in that first half.
“But in the second half penalties put us under pressure as well as poor errors. Our edge defence needs to improve.”
Former Penrith scrum-half Jarrod Sammut’s hat-trick in Bradford’s 43-18 defeat of previously unbeaten Huddersfield garnered a few choice words from Giants’ coach Paul Anderson.
Huddersfield lost the only 100 per cent record in the Super League following the home defeat as the Bulls ran in seven tries in total.
Sammut grabbed three of them as well as a drop goal while Matty Blythe, Danny Addy, Brett Kearney and Adam O’Brien notched the others with Anderson fuming at the performance.
“It was just embarrassing. Some of the errors we came up were childish, dropping the ball with nobody in front of you. It robbed us of energy,” said Anderson.
“It was a combination of what’s happened over the last few weeks. We gave the ball away against Wigan and Wakefield and just got through the games.
“But, if you keep doing that, eventually you are going to get burnt.”
Meanwhile, the London Broncos were effectively the final nail in Phil Veivers’ coffin as their first win of the season in the basement battle with Salford cost the Reds’ coach his job.
The Broncos leapfrogged Salford in the table after racing to a 38-4 win on the road.
