Manchester Super News

Wigan edged past Warrington in a Magic Weekend thriller Wigan Warriors reclaimed second place in Super League with a narrow but gripping 22-20 victory over Warrington Wolves in a pulsating Magic Weekend encounter at St James’ Park. Author - Amy W Jai Field opened the scoring with a trademark burst of pace before Bevan French added a second to give Wigan an early cushion. Jake Thewlis responded for Warrington with a well-finished try in the corner, keeping the contest finely poised. Rodrick Tai’s try shortly after the interval gave the Wire renewed hope, but further scores from Abbas Miski and Adam Keighran appeared to put Wigan in command. However, Joe Philbin powered over to set up a tense finish, and Thewlis crossed for his second late on to bring Warrington within touching distance. READ MORE | Rugby League match reports and more from across Greater Manchester  Stefan Ratchford’s missed conversion proved decisive, leaving Wigan to cling on in the closing stages for a win tha...

Wigan Warriors climbed to second in the Super League. This was a composed and clinical victory over Hull FC at the KCOM Stadium. Author - Amy W The visitors made an immediate impact, opening the scoring within five minutes as Bevan French capitalised on a defensive lapse to claim his sixth league try of the season. Hull responded through Will Pryce, who cut inside smartly to reduce the deficit. Jai Field’s agile finish restored Wigan’s lead, and although Harvey Barron replied for the hosts, further scores from Junior Nsemba and Jake Wardle gave the Warriors a firm grip on the contest before the break. In the second half, Abbas Miski's acrobatic finish in the corner extended the advantage, before French added his second of the evening with a surging 80-metre run. Nsemba crossed again late on to complete a dominant team performance. READ MORE:  Meet our reporter that covers all things Wigan READ MORE: The last time these sides faced each other French’s opener came after he latch...

Leigh Leopards have completed the signing of Tonga international Joe Ofahengaue  There will be a deal that runs until the end of the 2028 season. Author - Michael Haldsworth The 29-year-old prop, who has represented Queensland in State of Origin, joins on a three-and-a-half-year contract following his release from Parramatta Eels. Ofahengaue featured in the first six rounds of the NRL season before being granted an early departure. Born in New Zealand, he brings a decade of experience in Australia’s top flight, having previously turned out for Brisbane Broncos and Wests Tigers. A positive start to the season for Leigh. Can this signing further improve things? He arrives at a Leigh side that has firmly established itself in the Super League since promotion, reaching the play-offs in both of their top-flight seasons so far. The Leopards currently sit fifth on the ladder, with four wins from their opening seven matches. You can watch one of their recent matches in the video below....

Leigh Leopards are one game from another trip to Wembley Second-half tries from Fanitesi Niu and Bailey Hodgson helped them through to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup after a comeback victory at Wakefield Trinity. Author - Josh T Lachlan Lam's try put the visitors 6-0 up at the break before two quick tries after the interval from Matty Russell and Josh Rourke turned the game around to put the home side 12-6 ahead. However, there were some twists to come Rourke's knock-on led to a superb try from Niu to bring Leigh level, before Gareth O'Brien kicked a penalty to put them ahead. Wakefield again lost possession cheaply and Hodgson pounced to score the decisive try and send Leigh through. READ MORE:  Warrington Wolves 20 - 12 St Helens READ MORE: Sports news from Manchester Super News Revenge for Leigh and a closer look at what happened. Leigh are back in the last four of the competition they won back in 2023, and they avenged last weekend's 40-14 Super League hum...

First signs of positivity for Salford in the Super League Salford Red Devils achieved their first victory of the Betfred Super League season by defeating Huddersfield Giants. Author - Sophie T Both teams entered the match eager to secure important points, with the Red Devils looking to build on their recent Challenge Cup success against Bradford Bulls the previous week. Jayden Nikorima delivered an outstanding individual performance, but there were many other players across the team deserving of the Man of the Match recognition. ICYMI Highlights from #SuperLeague ~ Salford v Huddersfield youtu.be/3CLnu3AN3vc?... [image or embed] — Super News Affiliate ( @sup3rnew5affiliate.bsky.social ) 26 March 2025 at 17:24 A closer look at what happened Huddersfield would have fancied their chances against a struggling Salford side, but almost nothing went to plan from the moment they conceded an early penalty. The hosts seized control immediately, and in the sixth minute, former Huddersfield ...

Ruthless Rovers hands Leopards their first defeat of the season Leigh Leopards remain second in the Super League table but suffered their first defeat of the season as Hull KR moved three points clear at the summit. Author - Michael Haldsworth Source | Super League YouTube Since losing to Leigh at Wembley in 2023, Rovers have turned the tide emphatically, winning all six meetings between the sides. Remarkably, Adrian Lam’s team have failed to score in each of their last three encounters. Rovers have built on last season’s Grand Final appearance with a powerful forward pack and a sharp, creative backline. Once again, Mikey Lewis, the reigning Man of Steel, was at the heart of their attacking play. He scored two tries, set up another, and kicked five goals in a standout performance. But this was far from a one-man show. Rovers controlled large spells of the game and barely allowed Leigh a sight of their try line. It was a day to forget for the Leopards, who must quickly regroup a...

Another defeat for Salford leaves them stranded at the bottom of the Super League table Castleford Tigers secured their first Super League victory of the season with a hard-fought win over fellow strugglers Salford Red Devils. Author - Michael Haldsworth In a tense encounter between the division’s bottom two sides, it was Judah Rimbu’s late try, five minutes from time, that ultimately sealed the points for the hosts. Tex Hoy contributed five successful kicks, while Liam Horne and Muizz Mustapha both crossed the whitewash to ensure Castleford got off the mark for the campaign. Despite tries from Ryan Brierley and Kallum Watkins, coupled with three successful conversions from Marc Sneyd, Salford remain winless and rooted to the foot of the table. The opening 20 minutes were littered with errors, but the game sparked into life when Salford captain Watkins was shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Daejarn Asi. Castleford quickly took advantage of their numerical superiority. With...

Leigh went top of the Super League after an extra-time draw with Hull FC Their perfect start to the season is over, but they still climbed to the top of Super League after an electrifying draw with Hull FC at the MKM Stadium. Author - Peter Grainger It looked like the Leopards had the game under control when they led 12-6, with Hull down to 11 men after Aidan Sezer and Jordan Rapana were both sin-binned within five minutes. But the hosts refused to lie down, twice levelling the contest in a thrilling second half through Harvey Barron and Herman Ese'ese. Each time, Leigh hit back, with Lachlan Lam setting up David Armstrong for two tries to restore their advantage. Then, with time running out, Lewis Martin crossed in the corner to hand Sezer a shot at victory. But his conversion hit the post, and neither side could land a golden point winner in extra time. More sports news from Manchester Super News  Last time out for Leigh | Victory over Huddersfield A closer look at what happe...

Wigan made a statement with dominant win over Warrington in Las Vegas Wigan Warriors sent a clear message to the rest of Super League with a commanding victory over Warrington Wolves in Las Vegas, reaffirming their credentials as serious contenders for back-to-back titles. Author - Michael Haldsworth In a rematch of last season’s Challenge Cup final, the Warriors produced a clinical display in the first-ever Super League fixture on American soil, taking control early and never looking back. After an early Warrington try was ruled out, it was Wigan who struck first through Tyler Dupree. Abbas Miski then finished brilliantly in the corner before Bevan French and Harry Smith ensured Matt Peet’s side went into the break with a dominant 24-0 lead. The second half saw Jai Field, Jake Wardle and Luke Thompson put the result beyond doubt, before Warrington salvaged some pride with late scores from Arron Lindop, James Harrison and Matt Dufty. Liam Marshall added an eighth try for Wigan befo...

A fantastic start to the season from Leigh Leopards. Can they challenge for honours at the end of the season? Against Huddersfield Giants, they scored two late tries to finally see off the away side's challenge and make it two wins out of two. Author - Sophie T Leigh fans watch on A closer look at what happened Leigh faced a tough battle to maintain their perfect record, but they rose to the challenge. They got off the mark in this match with their first try of the season just eight minutes in. Brad Dwyer linked up with Lachlan Lam, who sent a looping pass over a static defence for Brand to collect and dive over. The away side  responded by ramping up the pressure, and their persistence paid off in the 23rd minute. Zac Woolford stabbed a kick over the line, and Wilson pounced to touch down. Flanagan’s boot edged the Giants ahead at 6-4, and as Leigh started to make mistakes under pressure, their lead grew. A tip tackle from Edwin Ipape on Matty English gifted Flanagan another s...

Wigan Warriors bounce back with dominant win ahead of their upcoming Las Vegas showdown The 2024 Super League Champions stormed back to winning ways with a ruthless performance against Hull FC, setting the stage for next week's landmark trip to Las Vegas to face Warrington Wolves. Author - Amy W Just a week after their shock 1-0 golden-p oint defeat to Leigh Leopards , Matty Peet’s men delivered a performance reminiscent of their previous all-conquering campaign, brushing aside Hull FC at the MKM Stadium. Jai Field stole the show in the first half, crossing for two tries, while Abbas Miski and Patrick Mago also got in on the act as Wigan raced into a commanding 22-0 lead at the break. Hull briefly threatened a response after the restart when Lewis Martin went over in the corner, but Wigan quickly snuffed out any hope of a comeback. Jordan Rapana’s short goal-line dropout backfired, allowing Tom Forber to capitalise for a fifth Warriors try. Moments later, another electric break...

Salford fans can now start looking forward to the rest of the Super League season The Red Devils have been given the green light to field a full-strength side against Leeds Rhinos on Saturday after the sustainability cap imposed by the Rugby Football League was lifted. Author - Michael Haldsworth Confirmation that a takeover of the club being formally approved by RFL Commercial will come as a huge relief to everyone associated with the club. In addition to their long-term future now being guaranteed, it means there will be no repeat of head coach Paul Rowley's farcical team selection against St Helens that saw them thrashed 82-0 in their first Super League fixture.  This 15 try victory was the heaviest winning margin in the league's history. From a Salford perspective, it represented a low moment in what has been a fairly successful era for the club.  Click here for more Super League news from Manchester Super News Party atmosphere expected for Salford’s first home game This...

St Helens ran riot against depleted Salford in record-breaking Super League opener A youthful and understrength Salford Red Devils were thrashed at the Totally Wicked Stadium. Author - Liam C For St Helens, Tristan Sailor marked his debut in stunning style, crossing four times as Saints ran in 15 tries. Morgan Knowles and Harry Robertson both grabbed braces, while Lewis Murphy and Kyle Feldt also got on the scoresheet in their first outings for the club. Jonny Lomax, Curtis Sironen, Mark Percival, Jack Batchelor, and George Delaney completed the demolition job. A closer look at a bad night for Salford Salford, still awaiting confirmation of their takeover and restricted by salary cap constraints, were only able to name a 16-man squad, featuring eight debutants. Saints wasted no time asserting their dominance. Knowles bulldozed through a flimsy Salford defence inside five minutes, before Murphy finished off a slick team move just moments later. Percival converted the first but misse...

A dramatic night in Wigan and incredible way to start the new Super League season Leigh Leopards stunned reigning champions Wigan Warriors with a golden-point victory in extra time on the opening night of the 2025 Super League season – after the two sides played out the first-ever 0-0 draw in the competition’s 29-year history. Author - Amy W Gareth O’Brien sealed the win with a decisive drop-goal three minutes into extra time, handing last season’s quadruple winners a losing start to their title defence. Both teams displayed remarkable defensive discipline in a fiercely physical derby between these local rivals, with neither able to break the deadlock during an intense but gripping 80 minutes. O’Brien’s one-pointer sparked jubilant celebrations, securing Leigh’s first victory at Wigan since 1983. The evening began with a real sense of occasion, featuring live music from The Lathums, pre-match pyrotechnics, and legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer welcoming the teams onto the p...

 Leigh Leopards 20-22 Salford Red Devils 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 in partnership with @homestogether . ⏱️ #BeTheRoar pic.twitter.com/dqX3qxnnSo — Leigh Leopards (@LeighLeopardsRL) April 8, 2023 There was a memorable match between two of Greater Manchester's Super League teams. In the baking sunshine, Salford Red Devils registered a Betfred Super League Rivals Round victory against Leigh Leopards. Easter is always a highlight of the rugby league calendar. Today’s encounter would normally be the first of two Super League fixtures this weekend, but a change of schedule means we’ve now got five days to reset and prepare for the visit of Castleford Tigers next Thursday. It was clear quite early on that Salford was intent on playing quick and our first set gained massive metres via the ruck speed of Andy Ackers. After both sides traded sets, a dropped ball on halfway allowed Leigh an opportunity to build their first meaningful attack. Lachlan Lam received the ball around 30 metres out...

SALFORD RED DEVILS 23-8 LEEDS Salford Red Devils earned a crucial two points with a fantastic 23-8 victory over Leeds Rhinos in Round 12 of the Betfred Super League. Click here to read the full match report from the Salford Red Devils website. In front of a rocking AJ Bell Stadium crowd, the Red Devils produced a thrilling performance, making it two wins from two against the Rhinos this season. Paul Rowley’s side started brightly and on the front foot, with some clever work on the right from Deon Cross allowing Ken Sio to score his 14th Betfred Super League try of the season. The Red Devils quickly made it two with some more incisive play – this time down the left. Harvey Livett – in his first appearance of the season – found a burst of pace to power past Leeds defenders and offload to Tim Lafai. The Samoan quickly found Joe Burgess on the wing to stroll over unopposed. Leeds did find some life moments later, however. The ball was worked left and a flick by David Fusitu’a allowed A...

Warrington Wolves 32-18 Salford Red Devils Salford Red Devils fell to a defeat at the Halliwell Jones Stadium tonight, in Round 8 of the Betfred Super League. You can watch the highlights in the video below. Footage courtesy of the official YouTube Super League account. The hosts were first over the try-line after 7 minutes – Toby King weaving through a gap in the Salford defensive line to go over towards the left of the sticks. Just before the half-way mark of the first forty, King scored again in a similar position to his first to extend the Wire’s lead. In the 27th minute, Ryan Brierley saw yellow for holding down at the play-the-ball, five minutes before Matty Ashton dived over in the left corner for Warrington. Brierley returned from the sin-bin in the 37th minute and set up Ken Sio in the corner two minutes later, finding the winger with a neat grubber kick. Warrington struck again five minutes into the second forty through Joe Philbin, who crashed over under the sticks. Andy...