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Expansion means something different to Wigan wizard Bevan French.
“We wanted to expand ourselves and be a bit flamboyant,” the former Man of Steel said after Super League’s first venture to Vegas, in which he helped the cherry and whites blitz Warrington.
“It’s Las Vegas,” he added on radio station 5 Live, “so run up 20 or more points? Why not..?”
Few clubs do big occasions like Wigan - they are still world champions after beating Penrith for the title last year - and with 15 minutes left at Allegiant Stadium, they led Sam Burgess’ Warrington 42-0, with eight different try scorers including French.
Burgess quickly dismissed his visa hassles as factor the in the unexpected thrashing.
“People who are looking for excuses could say that,” Burgess said, stating that “Forty-eight points is too many”.
“I don’t think the players were affected whatsoever. It was not ideal, let’s be honest about that. But I don’t think it makes a lot of difference come today. We had a lot of time to prep, a lot of time together.”
Both sides had early tries disallowed but when Wigan finally got on the scoreboard, via winger Liam Marshall in the ninth minute, they were ravenous.
The big question is just how a club that won all available trophies last year keep getting ‘up’ for the big occasions.
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Bevan French Try
"I’m very confident this kind of event, stage, whatever you want to call it brings the best out of the group here,” coach Matty Peet said.
“We thrive on it and that’s a credit to the way we train, the way they look after themselves, how connected they are as a group on and off the field. It lends itself to big games.
“We’ve got a very professional group. They look after themselves very well. They’re young, they train very hard.
“I think sometimes in a more intense game, it suits them.”
Forward Kaide Ellis was more specific.
“That’s just our style, I think, trying to take it to another level, play at a different speed.
"There’s a certain physicality level, I rethink that’s where we respond. When it’s not as physical it brings other teams into it and that’s where they’re comfortable, so I think it’s just naturally where we thrive.
"This is how we play.”
Burgess was upset at a crusher tackle on Lachlan Fitzgibbon by Liam Byrne.
“I felt like the referee threw away his whistle in the first half,” Burgess said in reference to Chris Kendall.
“Puts him on report and there’s no penalty - I’m not sure how that works.
“Lachie Fitz, he couldn’t finish the game.
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Matt Dufty Try
“It’s the first time since I’ve coached these guys that we’ve really been out of the game. We’ve always been in the game, we’re always in touching distance.
“I’m not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I’ll just address it like I do any win, loss.
“Today was just a bit of a blip.”
Wire captain George Williams said although the result hurt, one day he and his team-mates would look back on the match with a smile.
