French grabs two tries as Wigan beat Leeds

Betfred Super League

Wigan Warriors (12) 22

Tries: Miski, French 2, Wardle Goals: Keighran 3

Leeds Rhinos (0) 6

Tries: Hankinson Goals: Sinfield

Bevan French was instrumental in ensuring two-time defending Super League champions Wigan Warriors head into the play-offs on a high with a clinical victory against Leeds Rhinos.

French set Abbas Miski up for one try and scored the other as the hosts led 12-0 at the break against a Leeds side that started the night chasing a third-placed finish in the table.

A well-taken second try from French was quickly followed up by another from Jake Wardle, while Chris Hankinson grabbed a late consolation effort for a Rhinos team that has now lost their final two regular season matches to end up fourth in the table.

It meant Leeds are at home for their eliminator on Saturday, 27 September against fifth-placed St Helens.

Injuries meant Leeds were without the trio of Ryan Hall, Andy Ackers and Lachie Miller for the final-round clash, but they are expected to be back in contention for the knockout game alongside the influential Jake Connor.

Wigan, whose quadruple of trophies last season redefined what it means to dominate the game in the Super League era, now have a week off before they attempt to keep hold of the last remaining piece of domestic silverware in their possession.

While there was no World Club Challenge for the Warriors to defend this year, Hull KR have replaced Wigan as both holders of the Challenge Cup and League Leaders' Shield.

It took quick thinking and quick hands from the brilliant French to unlock Leeds' resistance after 19 minutes at the Brick Community Stadium, as he found Miski free on the right to dart over for the game's first try after 19 minutes.

The Australian then combined brilliantly with Brad O'Neill, Liam Farrell and Adam Keighran to race away for another touchdown minutes later.

A try-saving tackle from Harry Smith on Jack Sinfield denied Leeds the chance to get on the scoreboard before half-time in a game that quickly got away from them after the interval.

The Rhinos' inability to deal with a high kick from Smith allowed French to get onto a loose ball with space to exploit on the right for his second try of the night.

Wardle added to the advantage in the 48th minute to put the game beyond Leeds' reach, although Hankinson did manage to grab his first try for the Rhinos in the final minutes.

Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

"I'm pleased. Going into [the play-offs] you want to get a performance, you want to come away healthy and without any disciplinary concerns.

"There are always aspects of the performance that you can identify as rooms for improvement, and we will do that, but it was job done on the whole.

"They [Leeds] don't get beaten by many, they don't go away and they are very physical. They get all the effort areas right, but they were missing a bit of talent.

"You look at the nature of the game, and there wasn't much in it and we probably had a little bit more class on the field than them. And they will take heart from that as well."

Wigan Warriors: Field, Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Byrne, O'Neill, Thompson, Walters, Farrell, Ellis.

Interchanges: Havard, Nsemba, Mago, Leeming.

Leeds Rhinos: Hankinson, Lumb, Newman, Watkins, Simpson, Croft, Sinfield, Oledzki, O'Connor, Jenkins, Gannon, McDonnell, Palasia.

Interchanges: Shorrocks, Bentley, Lisone, Holroyd.

Referee: Chris Kendall.