Wigan beat Catalans to win sixth League Leaders' Shield

Betfred Super League

Wigan (24) 50

Tries: Smith, Marshall 2, O’Neill, Farrell, Daniel, Field, Eckersley, Keighran Goals: Keighran 7

Catalans (6) 12

Tries: Tison, Lis Goals: Aispuro-Bichet, Garcia

Wigan Warriors won a sixth League Leaders’ Shield as they ran in nine tries to beat Catalans Dragons and carry on their remarkable run of form heading into the Super League play-offs.

Matt Peet’s side, who were trophyless in 2025 off the back of their quadruple-winning 2024 campaign, have now won two pieces of silverware, having won the Challenge Cup in May, and are now two games away from the treble.

Harry Smith and Ugo Tison exchanged tries early on, but Liam Marshall, Brad O’Neill and Liam Farrell put Wigan in control at the break.

Austin Daniel and Jai Field continued Wigan’s scoring streak, while Zach Eckersley, Adam Keighran and Marshall’s second wrapped up a thumping 16th win in a row, with Alexis Lis scoring a fine consolation try for Les Dracs in the closing stages.

Despite Friday’s victory ensuring the shield was theirs, the really hard work was done in last week’s crucial win over title rivals Leeds Rhinos at Headingley, where they leapfrogged their rivals to go top.

Had Wigan have lost then, Leeds could have pulled off a dramatic final-day surge back to the top, winning the shield at their expense on points difference, but the Rhinos fell short and were beaten by Hull FC on Friday.

Wigan now have a bye week by virtue of a top two place and will be at home for their Super League play-off semi-final on Saturday, 12 September, live on the BBC.

For Catalans, it means a difficult campaign ends with a ninth-placed finish. Les Dracs have now not made the end-of-season play-offs since their run to the Super League Grand Final in 2023 – where they were also beaten by Wigan.

For Wigan, winning the Shield is the culmination of a remarkable turnaround in form having been sixth in the table during a controversial and heavy 62-4 defeat away to Hull KR in May in the lead-up to the Challenge Cup final.

That defeat was their fifth in nine games, but since that point they have won all 16 games, beginning with their triumph at Wembley against the Robins.

There were tributes pre-match to captain Farrell, who announced he will retire at the end of the season, as Wigan’s players warmed up with t-shirts emblazoned with Faz 12.

The hosts got off to the perfect start as Smith sold a perfect dummy to glide through the Catalans’ defence to score, but that lead was cut back thanks to Tison’s impressive solo effort soon after.

Marshall cantered in at the corner to put Wigan back ahead, while O’Neill spotted a gap to go through, and Farrell saw the half out having returned from a shoulder injury which had left him on the sidelines since June.

Daniel’s easy run-in on the wing got Wigan going after the break before Field raced in from Farrell’s offload to continue the rout.

Eckersley’s 27th try of the season sent Wigan further ahead as he showed great intelligence to race through, while Keighran matched his fine work with the boot with a long-range run-in of his own. Marshall barged through for his second – leaving Farrell to take, and subsequently miss, the conversion.

Fellow retiree Ben Garcia did succeed with the boot, however, as he kicked the extras in the aftermath of Lis’ try on the verge of the full-time hooter.

Wigan: Field; Daniel, Keighran, Eckersley, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Partington, Ellis.

Interchanges: Farrell, Walters, Mago, Kerr.

Catalans: Marc; Darrelatour, Martin, Cotric, Makinson; Aispuro-Bichet, Dodd; Allen, Tison, Navarrete, Garcia, Laguerre, Bousquet.

Interchanges: Maria, Wilson, Descalzi, Lis.

Referee: Marcus Griffiths.