The Morning After: French magic, Super League’s in-form hooker & drone disruption?!

The Morning After looks at three talking points from the latest Super League action between Hull KR and Wigan.

French magic

It was a thrilling match that had it all in front of the Sky Sports cameras, but it was a magic moment from Bevan French in golden point extra-time that saw Wigan clinch a dramatic 26-22 victory. 

Abbas Miski’s last second effort sent the game to extra-time, with Mikey Lewis hitting the post early on with his drop-goal attempt.

But it was Australian speedster French who once again produced the moment of the match, making a clean break and finding Liam Farrell in support to complete his hat-trick and claim the two Super League points on offer.

Wigan took a 10-4 lead into the break thanks to two tries from back-rower Farrell, with Liam Marshall adding to the score in the second half before a tactical change saw Shaun Kenny-Dowall swap with Corey Hall on Hull KR’s right edge.

Ryan Hall scored the host’s first, before second half tries from Matt Parcell, James Batchelor and Luis Johnson, scoring on his first Hull KR appearance of the season following his recent recall from Castleford. 

Lewis kicked three goals on the night, while Harry Smith only converted one attempt from five in what could have cost the visitor’s the match.

Super League’s in-form hooker

Hull KR’s Parcell is enjoying a fine season in 2023 and is arguably the in-form number nine of the competition.

Of course when it comes to rankings, St Helens record breaker James Roby leads the way, but Parcell has been in impressive form. 

The 30-year-old Australian scored his side’s second against Wigan and later assisted back-rower Batchelor which levelled the scores, before half-back Lewis gave his side their first lead from the boot for a 16-14 score. 

It’s hard to think of a season where the Australian hasn’t impressed at Craven Park, having made the switch from Leeds. 

Will the Rhinos have wished they kept hold of the key player? 

Drone disruption?!

The action during the second half came to a halt when a drone was spotted flying above the pitch.

Both sets of players were asked to leave the field on the 43rd minute due to safety reasons but shortly returned once the drone had disappeared. 

It isn’t the only time a sport fixture has been disrupted by the somewhat flying pests. Earlier this year, Southampton and Aston Villa players had to leave the pitch after a drone was flown over the St Mary’s pitch. 

A match between Brentford and Wolves in January 2022 was halted for nearly 20 minutes in the first half due to a drone flying overhead.

There are specific rules in place for such an event, the first being that play must be stopped in the interests of safety. 

READ NEXT: ‘A great advert for Super League’ says Wigan coach following dramatic golden-point victory

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