REIGNING champions HALIFAX PANTHERS put an early claim on the defence of their title with a dominant 76-12 win over WIGAN WARRIORS.

The home side were 34-6 up at half-time after Finley O’Neill and Joseph Calcott both went over for a brace of tries, with Jack Brown and Cian Horgan each adding one. Rob Hawkins kicked the first goal, with Wayne Boardman adding a further four.

A Toby Burton-Carter try in the first half, converted by Jack Heggie, brought Wigan’s points, but Halifax scored eight tries after the interval to cement their win.

Hawkins scored three of them and Calcott two, while O’Neill, Brown and Tom Martin also crossed. Boardman added three more conversions, with Hawkins and O’Neill each slotting one over.

The visitors’ only second-half response came from Matthew Turner, who scored his first try in Wigan colours following his move from North Wales Crusaders, with Burton-Carter converting.

LONDON ROOSTERS ended LEEDS RHINOS’ run of good form after winning 80-40.

It was a dramatic first half where the lead changed hands several times, with London going into the break 34-24 to the good.

But the hosts dominated during most of the second half, when they scored seven tries without reply when the score was on 44-36.

Joe Coyd scored five tries and six goals for London, Lewis King got four and Mason Billington a hat-trick, with Jack Linden, Max Owen and Jason Owen, who also kicked four goals, each going over once.

Leeds replied through five Tristan Norfolk tries, and one each from Nathan Collins and Jodie Boyd-Ward. Collins kicked four goals and Ewan Clibbens two.

There was a classic encounter at EDINBURGH GIANTS, where the home side almost clinched a dramatic win over HULL FC, only for Devon Smith to score a final-minute try, with Josh Edwards landing his second conversion of the game to secure a 32-30 win.

Hull led for most of the game until Edinburgh edged in front with three minutes to go, thanks to a Martin Lane try.

Earlier, Stuart Williams and Calum Davidson scored two tries each for Edinburgh (Davidson also got two goals) and Hamish Douglas scored a try and one goal.

Mike Swainger and Nathan Sherwood each scored two tries for Hull, with Bill Swainger and Liam Stancliffe each going over once.

SHEFFIELD EAGLES secured a hard-fought 74-46 win over BRADFORD BULLS, largely thanks to four tries for both new Wales squad members, Sid Ramsey and Chris Haynes.

Luis Domingos chipped in with two tries, with Stephen Reilly and Joe Wink-Simmonds, who also kicked eight goals, on the try-scoring sheet. Ben Simpson converted three of the tries.

Bradford were always in the game, after only being 40-26 down at the break, and even took the lead through the first of Isabelle Wright’s two tries. Keiron Johnson scored a hat-trick, Charlie Wanless also went over twice and Daniel McGrath once. Johnson kicked seven goals.

BATLEY BULLDOGS are top of the Championship after week two after a dramatic last-minute win at MIDLANDS HURRICANES.

The home side were six seconds away from clinching their first victory, only for the aptly-named Daniel Winner to score wide out, his second try of the game, to give Batley a 44-42 win.

Batley were 16-0 up on eight minutes and 34-12 up at half-time, but Midlands showed much improvement after the break and were so close to taking the points.

James McCarthy scored a hat-trick of tries for Midlands, with Jacob Robinson and Peter Johnston each adding a brace. Gary Preece kicked all seven conversions.

James Clough scored two tries and kicked six goals for Batley, with James Edmondson-Jones, Marc Sykes, Adam Bingham and James Spears each scoring once.

In the other matches in the Championship, ROCHDALE HORNETS won by the same margin as Batley, beating NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 46-44 thanks to a last-minute try and goal, there was a big derby win for CASTLEFORD TIGERS as they slammed WAKEFIELD TRINITY 114-24, while YORK KNIGHTS edged out GRAVESEND DYNAMITE 54-41.

Results
Saturday 25 April
SUPER LEAGUE: Edinburgh Giants 30 Hull FC 32; Halifax Panthers 76 Wigan Warriors 12.
CHAMPIONSHIP: Midlands Hurricanes 42 Batley Bulldogs 44; Rochdale Hornets 46 North Wales Crusaders 44; Wakefield Trinity 24 Castleford Tigers 114; York 54 Gravesend Dynamite 41.
Sunday 26 April
SUPER LEAGUE: London Roosters 80 Leeds Rhinos 40; Sheffield Eagles 74 Bradford Bulls 46.

Fixtures
Sunday 3 May
SUPER LEAGUE: Sheffield Eagles v Halifax Panthers.
CHAMPIONSHIP: Castleford Tigers v Rochdale Hornets.

Super League Table
Halifax Panthers 4 pts
London Roosters 4 pts
Leeds Rhinos 2 pts
Wigan Warriors 2 pts
Hull FC 2 pts
Sheffield Eagles 2 pts
Edinburgh Giants 0 pts
Bradford Bulls 0 pts