Bevan French proved to be the standout performer on his return as the Wigan Warriors dismantled St Helens with a convincing 38‑16 victory on Friday, deepening the Saints' crisis. The match, a heated derby in the Super League, saw Wigan capitalize on the chaos surrounding St Helens after the shocking announcement on Thursday that head coach Paul Rowley had been relieved of his duties with immediate effect.
St Helens did not start the encounter badly. The hosts surged ahead twice within the first fifteen minutes, courtesy of tries from Jack Welsby and Jacob Douglas, suggesting that the team could still muster a fight despite the off‑field turbulence. French, however, struck between those two scores, finding the try‑line for the Warriors and then orchestrating two further tries for Zach Eckersley before the break. One of those came from a cleverly executed cut‑out pass that sliced through the defense, while the other was set up by a brilliant kick‑pass that left the Saint’s back‑line scrambling.
The Saints appeared to be edging back into the contest when a potential equaliser was ruled out by the Video Referee in the dying seconds of the first half. Replays clearly showed Jake Wardle’s disciplined tackling denying Harry Robertson the opportunity to ground the ball, a defensive effort that kept the half‑time score firmly in Wigan’s favour. The second half belonged entirely to the visitors.
Oliver Partington crossed the line twice, and in‑form Adam Keighran added his own try, all fed by French’s creative spark – he recorded two more assists, including a sensational kick‑pass from Harry Smith that set up Partington’s second effort. St Helens did manage a consolation try from Lewis Murphy, but the damage was done; the Saints remain outside the play‑off places and are under mounting pressure to reverse their fortunes. In the post‑match interview, St Helens' Jack Welsby expressed disappointment to Sky Sports.
“We were competitive at half‑time, but we didn’t start the second half well,” he said. “Given everything that’s happening, we can be proud of our effort, but this is a derby we should have won.
The news about Paul Rowley hit us hard – we found out yesterday, had a training session and a captain’s run, but the senior players carried the load while the younger ones followed instinctively. It’s a tough blow, many of us feel gutted and embarrassed because we feel we’ve let him down.
There were positives in the first half, but we have a lot to improve if we want to make the play‑offs.” Welsby added a pointed observation about the coaching situation: “Our performances have let him down. He isn’t on the pitch with us, and if we had won as many games as Wigan have, he wouldn’t be facing the sack.” He emphasized the need for unity: “We have to look inward as a playing group and reflect this weekend. The squad has been together all year, but now more than ever we need a strong bond if we want to reach the play‑offs.” Interim coach Eamon O'Carroll also spoke to Sky Sports, noting his pride in the side’s resilience.
“I’m proud, honestly a little at a loss for words. I asked the lads to stick together, give us effort and intent.
I can’t question any of them – they gave it all, bucketloads. I’m really proud of how they’ve handled this week.
It may sound naïve, but I think we’re in a stronger position now.” He stressed the importance of incremental improvement: “We’ll build game by game. Preparation is crucial – it’s not just about performance on the day, but how we turn up each week. We have a few injuries to manage, so we must get the bodies right and give the players every chance to perform at their best.
My job is to keep us focused on the present and trust the process. The next challenge is how we approach the games against York.” Wigan’s head coach Matt Peet offered his perspective on the win.
“I’m pleased with the victory over our biggest rivals,” he said. “There are aspects of our performance that could be sharper, but tonight shows how far we have come as a unit. It was an important win, yet we know we can be better.” He admitted that at times the Warriors were a little loose with the ball: “We didn’t always respect the ball, and it got a touch sloppy.
St Helens showed desperation at points, which is a credit to them – they made a game of it. Still, we come away with two points.” Peet also highlighted the need for higher standards: “I’m talking about our processes, our standards, the way we want to play.
Some parts of tonight weren’t acceptable, and there are reasons for that. We have to be better, practice harder, and the players will feel that when they see the improvement.
There was a looseness in the game; I’m not the one driving it – the players will want to tighten up.” Match‑winner Bevan French, named player of the match, shared his gratitude. “It was great! I felt a sense of appreciation. It’s been a good year for me off the field, and I’ve tried to stay positive.
In the week leading up to the game I just enjoyed it, and lucky it was against St Helens. I’m grateful.” He also praised the emerging talent at Wigan: “The young lads stepped up. We’re blessed with a great youth pipeline. It’s wonderful to be part of a club where you see everyone develop and become the players they want to be.
It’s a good environment.” French concluded with a forward‑looking note: “We’re striving to get better every day, every year. There will be hiccups – we’ve had plenty this season – but we’re still here, still fighting.” The Super League action continued later that day with a spectacular display from Wakefield Trinity. Despite playing with only twelve men, the Wolves hammered Castleford Tigers 52‑14, scoring nine tries in a dominant performance that secured their sixth straight league win. The match took place at the DIY Kitchens Stadium, where Wakefield fell behind 10‑6 after an early sending‑off for Matty Storton, but they responded with a ferocious attacking onslaught.
Wakefield exploded onto the scoreboard within the first 45 seconds. Tom Johnstone exploited space down the left, drew his defender, and slipped the ball to Storton, who crossed for a try before Max Jowitt added the conversion. Even with a player missing, the Trinity side kept the pressure on, with Johnstone and Lachlan Walmsley each recording a double. Their relentless pace pushed Castleford onto the back foot, and the Tigers could not recover as the Wolves piled on try after try, ultimately moving them above Wigan on points difference in the league standings.
The broader context of the season is that Sky Sports will continue to broadcast every Super League fixture live, with two matches per round shown exclusively, and the remaining five games each week featured on the Sky Sports+ platform. This comprehensive coverage ensures fans can follow the drama, the battles for playoff positions, and the storylines such as the Saints' coaching upheaval and Wakefield’s impressive twelve‑man heroics throughout the campaign.