Where Are They Now? The last London Broncos side to win at Wigan Warriors

The last time London Broncos won at Wigan Warriors came in 2010, with Brian McDermott’s side then coming under the Harlequins guise.

It was an emphatic 38-26 victory for London – or Quins if you like – at the DW Stadium against a star-studded Wigan side that went on to win the Super League Grand Final under Michael Maguire later that year.

With Mike Eccles’ Broncos making the trip up north to face Matt Peet’s all-conquering Warriors on Friday night, we’ve taken a trip down memory lane to look at the Broncos side – then known as Harlequins – that defied the odds on that day in April 2010: and what happened to them next.

1. Ben Jones-Bishop

The Jamaica international enjoyed a spell on loan with Harlequins in 2010 before breaking through into the Leeds first team, going on to win two Super League titles with the Rhinos. Jones-Bishop, who scored 11 tries in 18 games for the capital club, has been plying his trade for Sheffield Eagles in the Championship since 2022.

2. Kevin Penny

Like Jones-Bishop, Penny was also a loanee at Harlequins at the time of their shock win over Wigan. The speedster, now 36, had a five-match loan spell with McDermott’s side, scoring three tries. Penny, who scored 63 tries in 93 games for hometown club Warrington, last played in the professional game in 2017.. We aren’t sure what he is doing now, so if you know, let us know!

3. Tony Clubb

Kent-born Clubb was one of several homegrown players in McDermott’s Quins outfit. He started his career as a centre before transitioning into a prop later in his career. A three-time England international, Clubb made 154 appearances for London/Harlequins before moving up north to Wigan, where he won a Super League title and World Club Challenge over eight seasons with the Warriors. He is now an assistant coach to Adrian Lam at Leigh Leopards.

4. David Howell

The Australian centre enjoyed six seasons with London between 2008 and 2013, scoring 36 tries in 109 games, having arrived to replace Great Britain international Paul Sykes. He is now an interior fitter back in Australia, having done his apprenticeship whilst at St George Illawarra Dragons prior to his Super League stint.

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5. Will Sharp

Sharp was born in Nigeria but grew up in London, playing his junior rugby for South London Storm before joining the Broncos. The now 38-year-old scored 19 tries in 70 appearances for Quins over three seasons before heading north with Hull FC, Featherstone and Halifax. He last played in the professional game in 2020 with York.

6. Luke Dorn

Whenever you think of Broncos or Quins teams from the Super League era, then Dorn will probably be one of the first players that springs to mind. The Aussie playmaker had two spells in the capital, scoring 109 tries in 166 appearances for the club. Dorn, who also played for Salford and Castleford during a 12-year spell in England, retired from professional rugby league at the end of the 2016 season. He is now working in the mining industry back in Australia as TEGA | Losugen’s New South Wales territory manager.

7. Chad Randall

Randall was another high quality overseas import for the Broncos, making 197 appearances over the course of eight seasons in the capital – just five games short of Steele Retchless, the club’s all-time appearance holder. He is currently an assistant coach to Cameron Ciraldo at Canterbury Bulldogs in the NRL.

8. Danny Ward

After making his name at Leeds Rhinos, where he won a Super League title and World Club Challenge, Ward made the move to the capital in 2008 following one-season stints with both Castleford and Hull KR. The former Great Britain international played 103 games for the Broncos before retiring in 2011. He become the head coach of London in 2018, achieving promotion to Super League in his first season in charge. After having a brief spell as Castleford head coach in 2023, Ward became an assistant coach to Willie Peters at Hull KR ahead of this season.

9. Danny Orr

Castleford icon Orr hung up his playing boots in 2012, before embarking on a career in coaching. He was a long-serving ally of Daryl Powell during his successful stint with the Tigers from 2013 to 2020, before Orr swapped clubs to take up a role as assistant coach at Salford.

Now? He’s believed to be training to be a police detective, in a complete career shift!

10. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook

Whitechapel-born McCarthy-Scarsbrook, who grew up on the Isle of Dogs, came through the academy at London, going on to make 97 appearances for the first team. The former England and Ireland international made the move up north in 2011 with St Helens, playing 13 seasons in the Red V before hanging up his boots at the end of last season. He has since entered the Fire Service and is still involved with St Helens in a hospitality/corporate matchday role.

11. Luke Williamson

The Australian spent two seasons with Harlequins between 2009 and 2010, finishing his career in the capital. As of 2018, Williamson was working for the NRL as a VET Pathways Programme Coordinator.

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12. Rob Purdham (c)

The former England international, who hails from Cumbria, spent a decade with the Broncos/Quins, playing 197 games – just five behind the club’s all-time appearance holder Steele Retchless. Purdham, who played in England’s 2008 World Cup semi-final defeat to eventual winners New Zealand, retired on medical advice with a shoulder injury at the end of 2011. We aren’t sure what he’s doing these days, so if you know, let us know!

13. Chris Melling

The former Great Britain international spent the majority of his pro career in the capital after coming through the ranks at hometown club Wigan, scoring 43 tries in 163 appearances for the Broncos. Melling is now head physio at Leigh Leopards.

14. Luke Gale (sub)

London is just one of eight clubs Gale has represented throughout his distinguished career – but it’s the only one outside of Yorkshire! The former Man of Steel winner, who played in England’s World Cup final defeat to Australia in 2017, is still playing now, plying his trade in the Championship for Wakefield Trinity.

15. Karl Temata (sub)

After spending four seasons in the NRL with New Zealand Warriors, former Cook Islands international Temata made the move to London in 2005 and would make 137 appearances for the Broncos over eight seasons. He had a brief spell with Oxford in 2014 before hanging up his boots and settling in Berkshire with his family. He is now a company director of lawn treatment company Greensleeves.

16. Oliver Wilkes (sub)

The former Scotland international, who represented the Bravehearts in two World Cups, enjoyed a well-travelled career, playing for 11 clubs, racking up 515 career appearances for club and country. Wilkes now works for energy service company Dalkia.

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17. Lamont Bryan (sub)

Bryan was born in Germany to an American father and Jamaican mother, and grew up in Croydon. The 10-time Jamaica international made 33 appearances for the Broncos between 2008 and 2012, but spent the majority of his career playing for London Skolars in League 1, making almost 150 appearances for the club, including 11 last year.

Head coach: Brian McDermott

McDermott needs little introduction given his success in rugby league as a player and as a coach. The former Great Britain and Bradford Bulls prop has plenty of silverware in his trophy cabinet as a coach, having guided Leeds to four Super League titles, a League Leaders’ Shield, two Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge in his time at Headingley between 2011 and 2018.

McDermott won 42 of his 115 games in charge of Quins prior to his move to Headingley and he had spells coaching Toronto Wolfpack and Featherstone Rovers before becoming an assistant coach to Adam O’Brien at Newcastle Knights in the NRL ahead of last season: a position he remains in to this day.

Wigan Warriors’ line-up from their last home defeat to London Broncos (2010)

Starting 13: Cameron Phelps; Shaun Ainscough, Phil Bailey, George Carmont, Pat Richards; Sean O’Loughlin, Sam Tomkins; Stuart Fielden, Mark Riddell, Paul Prescott, Liam Farrell, Joel Tomkins, Lee Mossop.

Subs: Micky McIlorum, Eamon O’Carroll, Iafeta Palea’aesina, Jonny Walker.

Coach: Michael Maguire

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