Super League Round Twelve Review

After a shortened programme due to the Challenge Cup entry of four Super League teams in the previous round, a full programme took place in round 12 which saw a record four away wins for the first time this season in a single round including the first this season for Wigan.

Warriors Away Joy At Wildcats

The first game of the round saw Wigan travel to face Wakefield on Thursday night with the Warriors finally ending a nine month streak without an away win with a 40-22 win over a Wildcats side who showed promise.

Against all the odds, Craig Hall raced clear in the first minute to score the opening try before converting for 6-0 but Wigan battled back and were level in the ninth minute as Dom Crosby edged over and Matty Smith converted to bring the Warriors level at 6-6. Smith crossed on 15 minutes to put Wigan ahead before extending the lead to 12-6 with the resulting conversion.

Wakefield fell further behind just six minutes later after Joe Burgess crossed in the corner and Smith converted for 18-6 but the Wildcats responded with a try from Danny Kirmond on 26 minutes with Hall's conversion making it 18-12. Dom Manfredi's 36th minute try, converted by Smith looked to have out Wigan in control at 24-12 but with the final play of the half, Pita Godinet crossed for the hosts with Hall converting for 24-18 at the interval.

Joe Burgess claimed his second try just four minutes after the break with Smith's conversion making it 30-18 but an instant reply from Wakefield came after a mistake in the Wigan defence resulted in Chris Riley crossing for 30-22. Wigan wrapped up the victory with two further tries in a seven minute period as Lee Mossop scored ahead of Burgess who completed his first Super League hat-trick with Smith converting once from two attempts to complete a 40-22 triumph. The win served as the Warriors' first on the road since their victory in Catalan last July.

Giants Glide As Hull Stutter

Huddersfield hosted Hull FC with the Giants looking to close up on the top three while Hull were eager to move away from the bottom two with a rare win in 2015 but were comfortably beaten in a 24-4 loss.

Danny Brough opened the scoring with a converted try for 6-0 inside ten minutes before tries from Ukuma Ta'ai and Jamie Ellis with a single conversion from Brough sent the Giants into the interval with a 16-0 lead.

Michael Lawrence extended the lead to 20 points on the hour before Steve Michaels crossed for the hosts to end any worries of a nilling at 20-4 but Huddersfield had the last say and secured a 20 point victory with a try on the final hooter through Jermaine McGillvary for 24-4.

Wonderful Wolves Secure Rhinos Double

Friday night saw Warrington travel to face Leeds looking to become the only side to complete a home/away double over the Rhinos this season and they cruised to a 29-10 victory.

Gene Ormsby opened the scoring inside nine minutes before a superb try from Joel Monaghan made it 8-0 to the Wolves. Ashton Sims crossed on 24 minutes with Stefan Ratchford converting for a 14-0 lead which was cut just before the interval by Kallum Watkins effort for 14-4 at the break.

Ben Currie and Roy Asotasi extended the Wolves' lead to 20-4 inside the first ten minutes of the second half with Ratchford converting both tries before adding a penalty goal on 64 minutes for 28-4. Leeds responded with a try from Mitch Achurch five minutes later which Kevin Sinfield converted for his only points of a milestone 500th appearance but it turned out to be a night to forget for the Leeds captain as Wolves Academy product Declan Patton wrapped up the win with a drop goal on 76 minutes for 29-10.

Super Saints Hold Off Valiant Vikings

St Helens hosted Widnes looking to improve on a mixed run of form while the Vikings looked to move up the league table with a victory but were denied in a 34-16 defeat.

A tight first 20 minutes saw the sides remain level but Kevin Brown broke the deadlock with a try on 21 minutes which Jack Owen converted for a 6-0 lead which lasted just six minutes as Luke Walsh scored a try with Travis Burns converting for 6-6. Burns then added a converted try for 12-6 on the half hour before Joe Mellor reduced the gap four minutes before the break with Owens converting for 12-12 at the interval.

Alex Walmsley restored the lead for the hosts on 53 minutes with Burns converting for 18-12 before Matt Whitley cut the deficit to 18-16 on the hour mark only to see Matt Fleming put the Saints a score ahead at 22-16. A full length try from Tom Makinson and a late score from Mark Percival sealed the win for St Helens with Burns converting both for 34-16.

Dragons Deal Defeat For Robins

Catalans have been tipped to trouble the top four this season and to do needed to continue their superb home form as Hull KR visited on Saturday and the Dragons came out on top in a 32-24 triumph.

Jason Baitieri opened the scoring for the hosts inside seven minutes with Thomas Bosc converting for 6-0 before Maurice Blair responded for the Robins six minutes later with an effort which Josh Mantellato converted before adding a penalty goal on 20 minutes for an 8-6 lead.

Ben Cockayne increased the Robins lead with a try for 12-6 but two scores from the Dragons before the interval from Micheal Oldfield and Gadwin Springer with Bosc adding a conversion made it 16-12 at the break.

Eloi Pellisier put the Dragons further ahead just three minutes after the interval with Bosc converting for 22-12 before Kieran Dixon crossed for a try and Mantellato converted for 22-18 to keep the Robins in touch. Ben Garcia restored the Dragons advantage of ten points accompanied by Bosc's conversion for 28-18 with Elliot Whitehead pushing the lead to 32-18 with a try on 69 minutes. 

The final say on the contest came from Mantellato who crossed for a converted try two minutes from the end for 32-24 but it was only consolation as the Dragons secured the 32-24 victory.

Tigers Triumph As Salford Suffer

The final game of the round saw the wounded duo of Salford and Castleford face off with both awarding debuts to Academy players in loanee Oliver Gildart (Wigan) and for Cas, Ashley Robson with both having faced off in the Academy a week earlier. Castleford sealed a narrow 22-20 victory to move up the table.

Salford made the perfect start through Theo Fages for 4-0 inside four minutes before Kevin Lock scored a converted try for 10-0 on 22 minutes. Ashley Gibson crossed against his former side just three minutes later with Gale converting before the Cas winger sealed a brace on the half-time hooter for 10-10. 

Salford's horror run of injuries and suspensions continued with the sidelining of Adrian Morley and Liam Hood and they fell behind on 46 minutes to Nathan Massey's try with Luke Gale converting for 16-10. Ash Robson crossed for a debut try with Gale extending the lead to 22-10 with the conversion before fellow debutant Oliver Gildart set up Locke for his second try on 67 minutes for 22-14.

Scott Taylor set up a tight finish with a 79th minute try which Greg Johnson converted for 22-20 but the Tigers held on for the win.