York Knights came within a whisker of another Super League upset but were beaten 23-22 by Wigan Warriors in a tense Thursday night meeting at the Brick Community Stadium.
The promoted Knights burst out of the blocks, building a 14-point advantage inside the opening exchanges thanks to early tries from David Nofoaluma and Paul Vaughan. York’s momentum stalled, however, when Wigan half-back Ata Hingano was sin-binned late in the first half — a spell that allowed the visitors to regroup and claw back into the contest.
Liam Marshall crossed twice as Wigan closed the gap to four points by half-time. In the second half, Noah Hodkinson’s excellent solo score put Wigan in front shortly after the hour mark, and Adam Keighran added further points with his kicking to move them clear. Harry Smith’s drop goal looked to have given Wigan the cushion they needed.
Hingano was involved in much of the late drama. He touched down to set up a nervy finish for both sides, but a loose pass from him in the closing stages prevented Danny Richardson from attempting a potentially match-levelling drop goal and handed Wigan the possession that secured their win.
York threatened until the final whistle. Sam Cook’s break created the opening for Hingano’s try, while Richardson’s kicking repeatedly kept the scoreboard close and briefly drew the hosts level after a Wigan penalty. A late turnover ended York’s chance to repeat the shock of their opening-day victory over Hull KR.
Both teams were reshaped by absences: Wigan were without Bevan French and Jai Field, while York are still coping with the long-term loss of captain Liam Harris. Other notable moments included Marshall being denied a hat-trick by a try-saving tackle from Sam Wood and a quality piece of play from Jack Farrimond that set up Keighran’s score. The match underlined York’s threat this season and Wigan’s resilience in recovering from a shaky start.
2026 Super League — key dates and what to watch
– Super League’s 30th birthday: Thu Mar 26 — Castleford Tigers vs Bradford Bulls, 8pm (Sky Sports)
– Rivals Round: April 3–5
– Super League in Paris: Sat Jun 6 — Catalans Dragons vs Wigan Warriors (Paris), 6:30pm UK (Sky Sports)
– Magic Weekend: July 4–5
– Rivals Round (reversed): July 23–26
– Elimination play-offs: September 19–20
– Play-off semi-finals: September 26–27
– Grand Final: October 3 at Old Trafford
Sky Sports will broadcast every Super League game live this season, with two exclusive live matches each round and the remaining fixtures available via Sky Sports+.