IT’S HEAVEN FOR BEVAN!
French marks new deal with stunning show
Leigh 12 Wigan 40 MATT PEET saluted Bevan French’s X-Factor class as Wigan walloped Leigh.
The Super League champions announced their Aussie superstar, 28, had signed a new four-year deal on Wednesday.
And barely 24 hours later, the silky stand-off shone as they emphatically bounced back from their Good Friday loss at St Helens.
That was their first league defeat since July but there was no hangover even without banned props Liam Byrne and Tyler Dupree.
Man of Steel French and livewire Aussie full-back Jai Field ripped lame Leigh to pieces, leaving the battered Challenge Cup holders with just one win in six.
The rampant visitors finished with eight different try-scorers as French, Field, Abbas Miski, Harry Smith, Adam Keighran and Liam Marshall all crossed.
Willie Isa, 35, slid in for his first try in almost two-and-a-half years and, at the other end of the scale, impressive forward Junior Nsemba, 19, got his maiden Super League score.
On French, Peet said: “Nothing surprises you with him, does it?
“He comes up with unexpected moments and that’s what makes it really hard for defences to close down.
“He commits to our gameplan but he’s also got that X-Factor talent that no one sees coming. It’s what people come to watch.
“I also enjoyed Junior’s try. I’m not going to say I’ll ever get bored of Bevan and Marshy scoring tries, but I do love to see young lads enjoy their moment like that. It was a big night for him. I’m pleased for Willie Isa, too. He’s great for us and does so much unselfish stuff.”
This local derby is dubbed the Battle of the Borough but there was little fight from Adrian Lam’s side and it was more like bedlam.
Wigan raced into a 20-0 lead inside just 28 minutes as lacklustre Leigh struggled in the rain.
They had Matt Moylan sin-binned for a 12th-minute high tackle on Field and never truly got going.
Ricky Leutele’s try, converted by Moylan, saw them trail 20-6 at the break. But Field’s spectacular 90-metre effort quickly ensured there would be no comeback, leaving Josh Charnley’s try as mere consolation.
Lam said: “I’m not going to give up hope; they’re a great bunch of lads. We’ve just got to learn from moments like this and stick together as a group.”
■ Warrington have paid a fee to secure prop Daniel Okoro, 20, from Bradford who, in turn, have taken Huddersfield’s Fenton Rogers on loan.