Wigan recorded a big victory on their return from Las Vegas as the Betfred Super League champions came from behind to win 44-18 at home to Huddersfield.
Wigan – eight days on from defeating Warrington 48-24 in the USA – trailed 18-10 at the interval but then took control upon the restart, crossing six times.
The second-half tries included a second of the match for Liam Farrell as the Warriors secured a third straight win after their golden-point loss to Leigh in the opening round.
The 2024 quadruple winners, who have moved up a place to fourth in the table, have scored eight tries in each of those victories.
For Luke Robinson’s 11th-placed Huddersfield, it was a fourth defeat in as many outings.
Adam Swift, Sam Hewitt and George Flanagan all notched for Giants in the first half but scores from Farrell and Zach Eckersley kept Warriors within touching distance and the hosts dominated in the second period.
A successful captain’s challenge in the opening stages led to an attack that concluded with Farrell grounding the bouncing ball and Matt Peet’s men were back in front in the 50th minute when Liam Marshall finished in the corner.
Ten minutes later, they had try number five as French got through a mass of bodies.
Three successive efforts were then ruled as no try after video checks – Harvie Hill and Kruise Leeming denied for Wigan and Swift for Huddersfield – before Warriors’ lead was boosted by Jake Wardle in the 74th minute.
Further late tries followed from Jai Field and Leeming as Wigan wrapped things up.
Warrington beaten by former coach Powell’s Wakefield
Daryl Powell made a winning return to Warrington as his Wakefield side claimed a convincing 30-16 victory at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Almost two years after Powell left his post as Wolves coach following a loss to Wakefield, he returned with Trinity to condemn his old club to their second successive defeat.
Most of the damage was done in a three-try burst early in the second half as Matty Russell, Matty Storton and Caleb Hamlin-Uele crossed for the visitors.
Wakefield had led 12-10 at the interval after Jack Croft and Liam Hood replied to tries from Aaron Lindop and Wolves debutant Alfie Johnson – Max Jowitt also weighed in with five goals for Trinity.
After Warrington’s humbling by Wigan on the grand stage in Las Vegas last weekend, this was supposed to be a welcome return to more modest but familiar surroundings for Wolves.
Matty Storton was one of five Wakefield try-scorers against Warrington
Yet without key players such as Matt Dufty, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Matty Ashton and Toby King, the side now guided by Sam Burgess lacked punch despite an impressive debut from rugby union convert Johnson.
Warrington started well and scored when Lindop outjumped a cluster of players to claim a high George Williams kick, only for Wakefield to respond quickly – Mason Lino was denied a try by the video referee but Croft then touched down from a Jowitt kick.
Warrington went back ahead when Johnson raced over for a try on the left from a superb long pass by Williams but the visitors hit back as Hood capitalised on slack defending to pounce from dummy half.
In the second half, a good break from Hood put Jowitt into space and his pass sent Russell over out wide despite Warrington complaints the final ball was forward.
Storton then powered through more weary Wire defending to claim another and Hamlin-Uele could not be stopped from close range and although Warrington rallied in the closing stages, pulling a try back through Josh Thewlis, Wakefield were not to be denied.
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