IT’S been a tough start to life in Super League for this season’s two newcomers as, for the second round running, both SHEFFIELD EAGLES and EDINBURGH GIANTS suffered decisive defeats.
Sheffield lost 10-86 to LONDON ROOSTERS in their first home top-flight game at the English Institute of Sport.
Their only two tries came through Stephen Reilly, the first of them converted by Ben Simpson.
Mason Billington scored six of London’s 16 tries, including a hat-trick in each half.
Jack Linden, Matt Wass and Lewis King all scored doubles in the opening half for a 6-50 half-time advantage, with Wass getting two more in the second and Linden one.
Jason Owen scored the Roosters’ final try, followed by his seventh conversion (Linden earlier kicked four goals).
While Sheffield suffered the same 76-point margin of defeat as at Wigan in round one, Edinburgh improved on a 108-point pasting to Leeds as they fell 18-76 to WIGAN WARRIORS.
John Williams scored two of the Scottish side’s three tries (the other came from Lenny Izzard) and converted them all.
Of Wigan’s 13-try haul, Jack Heggie scored four and goaled all but one of them, while Scott Trigg-Turner touched down five times in addition to scores from Daniel Dutson, Adam Rigby, Mel Griffith and Mark Williams.
Wigan now top the early table and travel to the Rhinos – the only other side with a perfect record and fresh from a round-two bye – this Saturday.
Perhaps surprisingly, it was HALIFAX PANTHERS who enjoyed the biggest victory of the weekend.
In a fixture which was drawn last season, the Challenge Cup winners beat HULL FC 104-10 for their first success of the campaign.
Rob Hawkins led the way with seven tries and 14 goals, while there were hat-tricks for Joe Calcott, Finlay O’Neill and, on debut, Irish international Cian Horgan.
Jack Brown and Jordan Holt also crossed, with further goals from O’Neill and Wayne Boardman, while Hull’s two tries and a goal all came from Josh Edwards.
Results
Saturday 5 July
SUPER LEAGUE: Halifax Panthers 104 Hull FC 10; Edinburgh Giants 18 Wigan Warriors 76; Sheffield Eagles 10 London Roosters 86.
CHAMPIONSHIP WEST: Warrington Wolves 12 North Wales Crusaders 26.
Fixtures
Saturday 12 July
SUPER LEAGUE: Edinburgh Giants v Halifax Panthers; Hull FC v Sheffield Eagles; Leeds Rhinos v Wigan Warriors.
CHAMPIONSHIP EAST: Castleford Tigers v Hull KR; Wakefield Trinity v Batley Bulldogs.
CHAMPIONSHIP WEST: Rochdale Hornets v Hereford Harriers; Widnes Vikings v North Wales Crusaders.
REGIONAL SOUTH: Bedford Tigers v Woodlands Warriors.
Sunday 13 July
CHAMPIONSHIP EAST: York Knights v Bradford Bulls.