It seems horribly fitting that, with the Tories back in, Wigan have started winning the league again. I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with them. It’s just the effect of the years when they won literally everything, year in, year out. And Maurice Lindsay, of course.
If we have to have Wigan though, I think the Wigan who played last night are about as good as you could get. The real giveaway of how good they were was how good St Helens were. There is still no club like them for style – they started playing catch-up in the first half and would have outplayed most sides, but against Wigan they just didn’t quite convert the chances they created. To be honest, that’s usually a sign the other side were better… Even the fact Wigan missed so many kicks and used three goal kickers (oddly, not including Paul Deacon, who was available and playing a damn good game) didn’t stop them.
Even Keiron Cunningham’s last spell in the game didn’t change anything. I think they’re going to win and keep on winning.
Wigan, if anything, resemble St Helens under Ian Millward- very defensive, capable of soaking up up lots of pressure and forcing their opponents into mistakes. Plus they have had their fair share of luck. In the play-off semi at Headingley they scored three very fortunate tries in one match that most teams would be lucky to get in a season.
I don’t think they’re a good enough side to start a dynasty though, player-for-player I think Leeds, St Helens and even Warrington are all better.
Igor Belanov
As a Wigan fan, it wasn’t so much that they were poor in the New Labour years but so drably poor – dull one mag rugby, passes just lobbed up to the next standing-still teammate.
So soaking up pressure, yes, but under Maguire they’ve also learnt to pass fast and straight, with endless runners.
Clearly they’ve been dulled by Labour managerialism and provoked back to brilliance by Tory horror.
There’ll be a new Joy Division or acid house next.
Kevin