Mighty Bulls beat Wigan

Sat 13 Oct 2007

On Saturday 13 October 2001, Bradford Bulls faced Wigan Warriors in the most one-sided Grand Final in Super League’s history so far.

The Bulls were simply irresistible that evening, and blasted Wigan off the park during an astonishing first half performance which saw them race into a 26-0 lead before going on to win 37-6.
Hooker James Lowes started the ball rolling with a try after nine minutes. Full-back and Harry Sunderland Trophy winner Michael Withers scored a hat-trick of tries during a blistering twenty minute spell. Then, after the interval, substitute second-rower Stuart Fielden and winger Graham Mackay added further touchdowns. Mackay converted his own try, and stand-off Henry Paul landed five goals and a field goal on his farewell appearance for the Bulls.
Scrum-half Adrian Lam scored the Wigan try, which was converted by second-rower David Furner. Wigan’s hero from last Friday night, Irish winger Brian Carney, had to leave the field after suffering an injury after just twelve minutes.
The teams that lined up at Old Trafford on this day were as follows:
Bradford: Michael Withers; Tevita Vaikona; Scott Naylor; Graham Mackay; Leon Pryce; Henry Paul; Robbie Paul (C); Joe Vagana; James Lowes; Brian McDermott; Daniel Gartner; Jamie Peacock; Mike Forshaw; Subs: Stuart Fielden; Paul Anderson; Shane Rigon; Paul Deacon.
Wigan: Kris Radlinski; Brett Dallas; Gary Connolly; Steve Renouf; Brian Carney; Matthew Johns; Adrian Lam; Terry O’Connor; Terry Newton; Harvey Howard; Mick Cassidy; David Furner; Andrew Farrell (C); Subs: Paul Johnson; Neil Cowie; Denis Betts; Chris Chester.

When Cumberland defeated the Aussies
On this day in 1948 at Whitehaven’s Recreation Ground, Cumberland put the Australian touring team to the sword.
That day they met Cumberland at a wet and windy Whitehaven on a muddy Recreation Ground pitch which certainly was not to their liking. The Cumbrian forwards kept the ball tight and set the platform for a magnificent 5-4 victory.
Had it not been for full-back Vic Bulgin (Eastern Suburbs), the Kangaroos would have suffered a heavier defeat. The Australian management were critical of Barrow referee Mr F Smith, but he did award Australia the penalties from which winger Johnny Graves (South Sydney) landed their two goals.
The only try of the match was scored by Billy Iveson and converted by Jeff Bawden. The attendance of 8,818 was considered satisfactory on such an unpleasant day, and for a match which involved no players from the Whitehaven club.
The victorious Cumberland line-up was: Russ Pepperell (Huddersfield); Jim Lewthwaite (Barrow), Stan Pepperell (Huddersfield), Jeff Bawden (Huddersfield), Jock Carr (Workington Town); Eppie Gibson (Workington Town), Albert Pepperell (Workington Town); Frank Longman (Barrow), Vince McKeating (Workington Town), Jimmy Hayton (Workington Town), Bob Nicholson (Huddersfield), Bill Telford (Workington Town), Billy Iveson (Workington Town).

Penny makes debut for Warrington
It was on this day in 1992, Tuesday 13 October, that Warrington full-back Lee Penny made his senior debut in a 32-8 victory over Blackpool Gladiators in a preliminary round, Regal Trophy tie.
Penny had joined Warrington twelve months previously from the Orrell St James junior club.
It was a highly successful debut for the 18-year old, who scored a try after only ten minutes of his debut. Since then Penny has gone on to make 268 appearances for the Wolves, and has scored 99 tries.
During his first season at Wilderspool, Penny also made his debut for the Great Britain under-21 side. He has played three times for the Young Lions, and has also played four times for Great Britain at Academy level. He played against the Junior Kiwis in 1993, against France the following year and against the Junior Kangaroos in July 1994, when he was a member of the British Academy squad which toured Australia.
Penny has also made three full international appearances. He played for Scotland in the Tri-Nations Championship against France and Ireland in 1998, and he also played in the 2000 World Cup. Penny’s only appearance in that competition was against the Maoris, who won 17-16 in Glasgow. He scored a try as the Scots recovered from a 16-6 deficit to draw level, before conceding a late dropped goal.

Kiwis too strong for Kumuls
In 2000, the focus of global attention was directed towards Britain, where the Centenary World Cup competition was being staged.
Knowsley Road, St Helens, staged an intriguing group match between New Zealand and Papua New Guinea - a nation capable of causing an upset against any of the leading contender - on Friday 13 October 1995. The line-up that evening was as follows:
New Zealand: Matthew Ridge (Manly); Sean Hoppe (Auckland Warriors), Richard Blackmore (Auckland Warriors), Ruben Wiki (Canberra), Jason Williams (Sydney Bulldogs); Henry Paul (Wigan), Stacey Jones (Auckland Warriors); Quentin Pongia (Canberra), Gary Freeman (Penrith), Jason Lowrie (Sydney City), Stephen Kearney (Auckland Warriors), Mark Horo (Western Suburbs), Tony Kemp (Leeds); Subs: Gene Ngamu (Auckland Warriors), Hitro Okesene (Auckland Warriors), Kevin Iro (Leeds), Tony Iro (Sydney City).
Papua New Guinea: David Buko (Goroka Lahanis); James Kops (Hagen Eagles), David Gomia (Goroka Lahanis), John Okul (Moorebank Bulldogs), Joshua Kouoru (Rabaul Gurias); Stanley Gene (Goroka Lahanis), Adrian Lam (Sydney City); Nande Yer (Mendi Muruks), Elias Paiyo (Port Moresby Vipers), David Westley (Canberra), Max Tiri (Hagen Eagles), Michael Angra (Hagen Eagles), Bruce Mamando (Canberra); Subs: Robert Tela (Lae Bombers), Lucas Solbat (Rabaul Gurias), Marcus Bai (Port Moresby Vipers), Ben Biri (Port Moresby Vipers).
Papua New Guinea played to their full potential in this match but, after falling 12-0 behind after only ten minutes, they never looked capable of beating the Kiwis. The New Zealand defence was superb, especially early in the second half, when three PNG attackers were held up over the line. Ten minutes from time Marcus Bai did score, but that touchdown was scant reward for all the Kumuls’ efforts.
Matthew Ridge and Richie Blackmore scored early tries for the Kiwis, and Sean Hoppe sealed their 22-6 victory with a try four minutes from time. Ridge landed four goals and Gene Ngamu one.
Tiny hooker Elias Paiyo was outstanding for the Kumuls, and landed their first-half penalty.

England battle to French wins
On Wednesday 13 October 1999 England met France in two internationals either side of the Channel.
The seniors met in Carcassonne, whilst the two nations met at the Boulevard, Hull, in a semi-final of the Student World Cup.
England reached that Student World Cup Final with a tightly fought 10-7 victory over the French. Tries from Rob Lowe - who now manages Rugby League statistics for Opta Stats - and Mick Nanyn, together with a Mark Sibson goal, earned England a place in the final, where they met New Zealand. The Kiwis ended Australia’s ten year reign as Student World Champions when they defeated the Kangaroos 25-14 on the same night at Wilderspool. New Zealand went on to win the competition four days later at the Boulevard.
The England team which travelled to Carcassonne did so without players involved with Great Britain, who were in Queensland for the Tri-Nations competition. The French fielded an experienced and talented squad who were confident of success against opponents who had nine debutants in their line-up.
Heavy rain throughout the day reduced the attendance to 3,000, but those present witnessed an interesting contest in which the English had to battle hard to overcome deficits, first of 14-4 and then of 20-10. In the end England won 28-20 with tries from Castleford stand-off Danny Orr (2), prop Dean Sampson (Castleford), winger Paul Sterling (Leeds) and full-back Marcus St Hilaire (Leeds). Loose-forward Steve McNamara (Bradford) landed four goals.
Three of the four French scorers have played over here in England at one time or another. The odd man out is substitute centre Jean-Emmanuel Cassin (Toulouse), who scored the third French try. Earlier winger Sylvain Houles (XIII Catalan) and second-row forward Gael Tallec (Castleford) had touched down, and full-back Freddy Banquet (Villeneuve) landed four goals.

Smethurst stars for Wigan
A magnificent performance from veteran forward Peter Smethurst enabled Wigan to pull off a shock victory over Salford in the Lancashire Cup Final which was staged at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 13 October 1973.
Cup holders Salford had lost only one match prior to that final, against the touring Australians, whilst Wigan’s form that season was, to say the least, disappointing.
On the day, however, Wigan fully deserved their success. They went ahead after ten minutes when winger Stuart Wright scored and prop John Gray converted off the touchline. Salford centre David Watkins reduced the arrears with a couple of penalties, before another penalty, this time landed by Gray, put Wigan 7-4 in front at half-time.
Early in the second half scrum-half Warren Ayres extended Wigan’s lead with a dropped goal, before Watkins scored the Salford try. At that point most of the crowd of 8,522 were expecting Salford to overcome Wigan’s determined challenge. Instead Wigan stepped up a gear and centre Kieron O’Loughlin scored a couple of tries, both of which were converted by Gray, to take the game away from Salford.
A late penalty from Watkins made the final score 19-9, but it could not prevent Smethurst from earning his first Lancashire Cup winners medal, after he had been on the losing side in previous finals with Swinton and Oldham.