WIGAN WARRIORS 52 YORK VALKYRIE 0
LORRAINE MARSDEN, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Saturday

IN WHAT promised to be Wigan’s toughest match of the year so far, they sent out the strongest message that there is perhaps still more to come after last season’s treble winning exploits.

York Valkyrie struggled to match Denis Betts’s side in all aspects of the game as the Cherry and Whites produced a dominant and largely controlled performance, which brought nine tries and secured a second successive trip to Wembley.

It wasn’t without its faults though, with both sides making errors, the difference being that Wigan were able to make York pay for theirs, with the Valkyrie unable to do the same.

That was evident in the opening minutes when Wigan took full advantage of a forward pass in York’s first set of the game. A break from Molly Jones gained Wigan strong field position and when Grace Banks broke a tackle and got the ball to Jenna Foubister, her looping pass fell into the hands of Ellise Derbyshire who crossed out wide. Isabel Rowe converted from the touchline, as her impressive form with the boot continued.

Another scrum for Wigan just minutes later saw them increase their lead further. When an initial break down the right from Anna Davies was thwarted, the ball was shifted to the middle through Meg Williams, who had Mary Coleman in support to go in under the sticks.

The costly errors didn’t end there for York and Tamzin Renouf’s high shot on Georgia Wilson piled more pressure on the Valkyrie, which told when Banks’ pass out wide put Derbyshire in for her second of the afternoon with barely 20 minutes played.

But York then settled into the game and started creating chances and as well as forcing some rare errors from Wigan. Eboni Partington went closest for York, but strong Wigan defence held her up just short.

With just minutes of the half remaining Wigan struck the sucker punch when Jenna Foubister dummied her way out of two tackles to force her way over. Rowe’s fourth successful conversion gave the Warriors a 24-0 lead at the break.

It was a lead York were unable to come back from and when Ruby Hunter took on the York defence after a Foubister break, and burst through numerous tackles to score on her 19th birthday, followed minutes later by a weaving run by Rowe to add a try to her personal tally, it was all over for Leon Pryce’s Valkyrie side with half an hour still to play.

The final quarter saw Coleman fend off multiple attempted tackles to race clear for her second, a long range solo effort from Georgia Wilson ruled out for a knock-on in the build up, and a try out wide for Anna Davies, which again proved no trouble for Rowe to convert.

Davies second in the final minute put the icing on the cake for Wigan, and bring up the half century for Wigan, but Rowe missed her only goal of the game. It hardly mattered though as Wembley beckons later this month.

GAMESTAR: Isabel Rowe’s kicking game was impeccable and proved a real thorn in York’s side with ball in hand as well.

GAMEBREAKER: Jenna Foubister’s try on the stroke of half time was too much for York to recover from.

WARRIORS
1 Grace Banks
2 Anna Davies
3 Georgia Wilson
4 Molly Jones
5 Ellise Derbyshire
6 Jenna Foubister
7 Isabel Rowe
8 Mary Coleman
19 Remi Wilton
15 Bethan Dainton
22 Ruby Hunter
12 Cerys Jones
13 Megan Williams
Subs (all used)
9 Carys Marsh
10 Mia-Jayne Atherton
17 Kelsey Gentles
21 Lucie Sams

Tries: Derbyshire (4, 18), Coleman (9, 63), Foubister (38), R Hunter (46), Rowe (51), Davies (76, 79)
Goals: Rowe 8/9

VALKYRIE
2 Eboni Partington
4 Tara Moxon
23 Monique Donovan
11 Tamzin Renouf
21 Petra Woods
6 Sade Rihari
7 Ellie Williamson
8 Olivia Wood
9 Sinead Peach
10 Jas Bell
15 Megan Pakulis
12 Savannah Andrade
13 Rhiannion Marshaall
Subs (all used)
14 Izzy Bibby
24 Lisa Parker
16 Agnes Wood
18 Isabelle Brennan

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 24-0; 30-0, 36-0, 42-0, 48-0

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match
Warriors: Isabel Rowe; Valkyrie: Megan Pakulis

Penalty count: 7-4
Half-time: 24-0
Referee: Tara Jones