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Liam Marshall bagged a hat-trick of tries as Wigan Warriors routed Hull KR 46-0 on a night when fans came together to remember Sir Billy Boston
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Sport — Aaron Bower at the Brick Community Stadium
On the night when Wigan Warriors celebrated one of their greatest entertainers, perhaps it was fitting that Matt Peet’s class of 2026 produced a performance Sir Billy Boston would have been proud of on their charge towards, potentially, another Super League title.
There are some nights where the result is dwarfed by the occasion. Where sport, in truth, comes second. This was undoubtedly one of those, as what felt like the entirety of this town where rugby league is more akin to a religion than a pastime came together in grief to remember the life and career of their most cherished adopted son.
Related: Prime minister Andy Burnham ‘heartbroken’ after death of rugby league legend Billy Boston
In the week Boston passed away at the age of 92, Wigan’s players were challenged by Peet to deliver a performance rugby league’s first knight would have adored. At times, it was a game played in conditions that Boston himself would have been familiar with during the sport’s winter seasons; biblical rain and utterly horrendous weather.
But Wigan, just like Boston did in his own career, made light of those difficulties to register a 13th consecutive Super League victory, extending their own modern era record and returning to the top of the table. Leeds Rhinos will get the chance to return serve on Friday when they face St Helens, but it is obvious it will take some team to stop Wigan this year.
Few are better placed than the ever-eloquent Peet to put this night into perspective, though. “It was for Sir Billy,” he said. “Tonight was about more than just two points. I loved the crowd, the event the club put on and the performance too.”
That event Peet mentions was incredibly moving. From the rows of flowers that lined the stadium to the pre-match ceremony, right down to the little touches - best epitomised by Wigan leaving the usual seats of Boston and his late wife, Lady Joan - who herself only passed away last month - empty. It moved many inside the venue to tears.
On the pitch, Wigan were given a helping hand by the defending champions. At the end of a run of four games in 14 days, Willie Peters chose to leave many of his big-hitters out and blood youngsters. The end result was perhaps entirely expected, with an under-strength Robins failing to score for the first time in Peters’ glittering and trophy-laden reign.
Behind 28-0 at half-time, his young side dug in after the break but this was still a brutally one-sided affair. “I expected it to be that tough,” Peters said. “I’m proud of the effort; we hung in there and it could have gone out to a massive scoreline. It could have got a lot worse.”
Fittingly, it was Wigan’s wingers who shone in appalling conditions in the first half. Zach Eckersley and Liam Marshall both crossed for wonderful braces and with the outstanding Jai Field adding a try, the Warriors had a commanding lead by half-time. In truth, Rovers could muster little in terms of a meaningful response.
Hull KR now know that if St Helens win on Friday, they will be level with the seventh-placed Saints with just two games left: and they meet on the final day. It could yet be a shootout for the final play-off place. Peters will argue he was looking at the bigger picture, and games against Huddersfield and the Saints, in passing up a chance to compete here.
The best sides do not let such opportunities pass by without being clinical.
Wigan’s defence was as strong as their attack, and with Marshall completing his hat-trick before further tries for Adam Keighran and Jake Wardle, it always felt about how many Wigan would declare on, rather than whether the Robins would hold them at bay.
These two sides have contested the last two Grand Finals with one win apiece. The odds against a third are lengthening by the week, with only one of them looking like they will be at Old Trafford.
There are some nights where the result is dwarfed by the occasion. Where sport, in truth, comes second. This was undoubtedly one of those, as what felt like the entirety of this town where rugby league is more akin to a religion than a pastime came together in grief to remember the life and career of their most cherished adopted son.
This report is published with credit to The Guardian. Full available text from the wire is above. Read on The Guardian →
Source: The Guardian · Aaron Bower at the Brick Community Stadium. Published 27 Aug 2026, 09:40 pm.
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