CHALLENGE CUP-winning centre Molly Jones has credited long-term consistency within the younger members of the squad as a reason for Wigan Warriors’ strong start to the season.
Key players Jenna Foubister, Isabel Rowe, Grace Banks, Eva Hunter and Jones all progressed through the club’s Academy ranks, while Ellise Derbyshire, who signed from Leigh a couple of years ago, and this year’s new recruit Meg Williams, are also of the same playing generation so know the others well.
It is that knowledge of each other and their playing styles that is currently showing on the field with Wigan starting this season looking like the team to beat – having already tasted victory over fellow top-four sides Leeds (twice), St Helens, and York.
Add to that mix the experience of players such as Georgia Wilson, Vicky Molyneux, Rachel Thompson and the recruits from Australia, and coach Denis Betts appears to have found an almost perfect blend in his squad.
“Myself, my secondrower Eva and my winger Ellise went through the England DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) programme together,” said Jones.
“Meg was in the same year as well so a group of us have all grown up together, and we’ve done that on the pitch as well.
“That means we know each others’ styles, where we all are on the field and when we’re going to be there and it does make a difference.
“But it is also good to have that bit of older experience out there giving us that wisdom because semi-finals and finals are new to a lot of us, so we have a nice balance to the squad right now.”
Read more reaction to Wigan’s Challenge Cup Final victory at Wembley in the new issue of Rugby League World, out now at totalrl.com/shop.