St Helens has scored a dramatic try after the final siren to beat fierce rival Wigan 8-4 in Super League’s grand final and retain the topflight title.
The lowest-scoring final in Super League history had a scarcely believable ending, with the Saints’ Tommy Makinson attempting a long-range drop goal as the clock ticked past 80 minutes.
The ball struck the upright, bounced down and the second bounce kicked left to allow Jack Welsby — narrowly onside as he followed up the kick — to beat Wigan’s Bevan French to the ball and ground it.
Wigan players sank to their knees as St. Helens celebrated a 15th league title, going back to back for the first time in 20 years.
Trailing 2-0 at half-time in an arm wrestle at an empty stadium in Hull, Wigan scored its first points when Jake Bibby went over in the right corner in the 65th minute.
The conversion struck the bar, and Wigan missed another chance to add two points when Zak Hardaker’s penalty kick from just inside St Helens’ half fell narrowly short and wide.
The Saints immediately went down the other end and snatched victory in the most cruel of ways as far as Wigan was concerned.
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Wigan, whose captain Sean O’Loughlin was playing the final game of his distinguished 19-year professional career, was looking for a third Super League title in five years and a record-extending 23rd overall.
“It was unbelievable to be part of but it’s a shame how it ended,” O’Loughlin said.
Instead, it was the perfect send-off for retiring St Helens prop James Graham.
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AP
