Warriors still in the reckoning

12 April 2012

Wigan remain the dark horses for the engage Super League Grand Final after coming through the first round of play-offs.

While Leeds and St Helens predictably secured a week off and home advantage in the semi-finals, Wigan and Catalans Dragons held their nerve in sudden-death ties to reach next weekend's preliminary semis.

Warriors coach Brian Noble is confident his team can go all the way and said: "I think we've got some improvement in us. I'm really quite excited."

He added: "The first game is always the most difficult one. I don't think any of the games this weekend have been classics. They've been tense, nervous affairs - because you're thrown back into trap-door football."

Wigan's reward for an 18-12 win over Castleford is a trip to Hull KR on Saturday.

Wigan cruised into an 18-0 lead over the Tigers thanks to tries from overseas trio Harrison Hansen, George Carmont and Amos Roberts - before relaxing their grip on the game.

Castleford briefly threatened to repeat their shock play-off victory in the first-ever rugby league match to be staged at the JJB Stadium 10 years earlier when Craig Huby and Joe Westerman scored converted tries in the final quarter. But it was too little, too late for the Yorkshiremen.

"We dominated the game for 60, 65 minutes and then conspired to make it a bit more nervous than it should have been," said Noble.