Wigan step up on Magic Weekend's welcome return to St James' Park
Wherever it sits in the calendar, Magic Weekend always has the feeling of a seismic weekend in the shaping of every side's prospects.
Last year it was much more decisive given how it was played in mid-August, just weeks before the playoff began: but even here, on the May bank holiday weekend, Magic's return to Newcastle felt hugely significant.
That was in part because it provided the sport with a welcome tonic from the endless boardroom politics, with the public also voting with their feet on how Newcastle should remain the permanent home of Magic into 2026 and beyond, with a crowd of 64,156, the biggest since 2018, in attendance: and the highest ever Sunday figure too.
But there were plenty of storylines on the field too, as the regular season hurtles towards the midway point in 2025. There is now a clear trio at the summit, with the reigning Super League champions solidifying their place in that leading pack with a hard-fought win over Warrington Wolves.
They remain two points behind Hull KR, with Leigh just a further point back. It is still slightly too early to suggest that trio are the only contenders for the Grand Final: but right now, there is clearly a gap between the Robins, the Leopards and the Warriors compared to their next closest rivals.
Magic is a stage built for the biggest and best players to showcase their talent – and Wigan's dynamic duo of Jai Field and Bevan French both crossed for wonderful tries here. That ultimately helped Wigan to have just enough against a Warrington side hit by injuries, but who showed plenty of spirit here but fell short, losing 22-20.
But Sam Burgess' side, as mentioned, are one of a number of teams now falling behind the leading pack – three wins behind the trio already. That said, the Wire are firmly entrenched in a battle for the other three play-off spots with six teams: who are now just split by a solitary victory.
The debate over the strength of Super League's high tackle laws has also begun to resurface, emphasised by the opening game of day two on Sunday. Huddersfield claimed their first win of the season at the tenth attempt with a 12-10 triumph over Hull, whose early-season promise is starting to falter slightly.
Their cause wasn't helped here by the loss of two forwards in the moments approaching half-time. Sam Eseh was sin-binned for a tackle that was deemed to be dangerous on Matty English before, seconds later, Liam Knight was shown a straight red for an inexplicable hit on Sam Hewitt.
It left Hull's coach, John Cartwright, calling Knight and his side 'dumb'. His counterpart, Luke Robinson – who had two players put on report for contact with the head – joined the growing calls for a greater level of understanding and common sense over the finer points of tackling in the modern era. Whether he is listened to remains unlikely.
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But what of Magic in general? It is at this point in proceedings that we raise the question about what could or couldn't happen next year. Murmurings of Super League potentially going to 14 teams in 2026 will not go away – but even then, Magic will remain on the calendar.
The Guardian understands that talks between Super League and officials in Newcastle had started even before this weekend. The healthy crowd will have only added further weight to the fact that the game will be back at St James' Park in a year's time.
In fact, this was the sixth-highest Magic Weekend crowd in history – and RL Commercial's CEO, Rhodri Jones, revealed to the Guardian on Sunday afternoon that a decision to bring the event back to St James' Park next year is a long way towards being finalised already: with no other venues under consideration.
'Fans wanted to come back to Newcastle and the stakeholders here have been great,' Jones said. 'The stadium is great and we're delighted with the weekend and the attendance. It's fair to say that positive conversations have already happened for next year.' In truth, it is difficult to imagine this event being anywhere else.
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Glasgow Times
9 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Sam Burgess and Willie Peters seeking swift redemption in Challenge Cup
Redemption would be swift for Burgess if he can inspire a side riddled with injury concerns to see off the current Super League leaders and erase the memory of last year's miserable 18-8 final defeat to Wigan. Meanwhile Peters has the lingering memories of Rovers' heartbreaking 2023 final loss to Leigh to erase, not to mention a 40-year trophyless streak to explode as his side look to live up to their deserved billing as heavy favourites. Warrington captain George Williams will be back at Wembley after beating an ankle injury (Bradley Collyer/PA) For Burgess, the current campaign has come in stark contrast to his successful debut season as a Super League coach, with injuries ravaging the Wolves spine and inconsistency leaving them languishing in eighth place in the table, but it has presented a challenge he has relished. 'This year has been enjoyable because I've learned a lot more,' said Burgess, who has resisted speculation that he is set for a swift return to Australia's NRL, insisting he is committed to seeing out his current contract with Warrington which expires in 2026. 'This year has been different to the first year. The first year was smooth sailing, but this year has been challenging with a number of things on and off the field. 'I've had to make some hard decisions and lost some key players at key times, and really had to think about coaching and different strategies. I think the group has learned a little bit more together as well, and this weekend is another chance for us to go as a group.' Hull KR came up short in the 2023 Challenge Cup final (Nigel French/PA) Captain George Williams has declared himself fit to return less than eight weeks after undergoing ankle surgery, but the respective absences through injury of hooker Danny Walker and winger Matty Ashton represent a major blow to Warrington's hopes of clinching a first title since 2019. Mindful of the way in which his side fell flat in last year's showpiece, Burgess is coy about the changes he has made in a bid to get his hands on the trophy for the first time as either a coach or a player, having fallen short of Wembley in his early-career stint with Bradford Bulls. 'I've changed a couple of things that I learned from last year,' said Burgess, who also refused to be drawn on what it would mean for him to add a Challenge Cup success to his CV at a relatively early stage in his coaching career. 'There's a lot of work to be done between now and the final whistle, so I try not to live that fantasy life,' said Burgess. 'I try and stay in the present. It's probably best asking what it means after the game. But any chance of winning silverware is important.' Hull KR head coach Willie Peters is desperate for his side to end 40 trophyless years (Richard Sellers/PA) Rovers boss Peters has told his players to embrace the weight of expectation that comes with being the domestic game's pre-eminent force, with the club having scarcely looked back since Lachlan Lam's drop-goal denied them their long-awaited triumph in 2023. East Hull has been awash with reminders that it is four decades since the Robins last lifted major honours, and Peters, who has immersed himself in the club and its community since he arrived as a relatively little-known head coach in 2023, is under no illusions about what a win would mean. 'I don't think about what it would mean for me, but I think it about the effect it will have on our club,' said Peters. 'The people involved can be legends of this club for a long time, so that excites me. What would excite me would be being in a WhatsApp group for the next 30 or 40 years with the guys who won a Challenge Cup, and being able to come back and meet up. 'We are a community club. I have always said our sole aim is to make our community proud, and we have got the chance to do that this weekend.' Peters admitted glancing back at certain aspects of the 2023 final but has resisted plunging into the negative emotions that followed that loss, pointing out his side's ability to shrug it off almost immediately and finish their domestic campaign on a high. 'I've watched some segments of the (2023) final because I know what I want to use this week, not so much about the emotions but around different actions in the game,' added Peters. 'If you talk about where you want to go, I believe that's a stronger emotion, so that's what I will be tapping into.'
Leader Live
13 hours ago
- Leader Live
Sam Burgess and Willie Peters seeking swift redemption in Challenge Cup
Redemption would be swift for Burgess if he can inspire a side riddled with injury concerns to see off the current Super League leaders and erase the memory of last year's miserable 18-8 final defeat to Wigan. Meanwhile Peters has the lingering memories of Rovers' heartbreaking 2023 final loss to Leigh to erase, not to mention a 40-year trophyless streak to explode as his side look to live up to their deserved billing as heavy favourites. For Burgess, the current campaign has come in stark contrast to his successful debut season as a Super League coach, with injuries ravaging the Wolves spine and inconsistency leaving them languishing in eighth place in the table, but it has presented a challenge he has relished. 'This year has been enjoyable because I've learned a lot more,' said Burgess, who has resisted speculation that he is set for a swift return to Australia's NRL, insisting he is committed to seeing out his current contract with Warrington which expires in 2026. 'This year has been different to the first year. The first year was smooth sailing, but this year has been challenging with a number of things on and off the field. 'I've had to make some hard decisions and lost some key players at key times, and really had to think about coaching and different strategies. I think the group has learned a little bit more together as well, and this weekend is another chance for us to go as a group.' Captain George Williams has declared himself fit to return less than eight weeks after undergoing ankle surgery, but the respective absences through injury of hooker Danny Walker and winger Matty Ashton represent a major blow to Warrington's hopes of clinching a first title since 2019. Mindful of the way in which his side fell flat in last year's showpiece, Burgess is coy about the changes he has made in a bid to get his hands on the trophy for the first time as either a coach or a player, having fallen short of Wembley in his early-career stint with Bradford Bulls. 'I've changed a couple of things that I learned from last year,' said Burgess, who also refused to be drawn on what it would mean for him to add a Challenge Cup success to his CV at a relatively early stage in his coaching career. 'There's a lot of work to be done between now and the final whistle, so I try not to live that fantasy life,' said Burgess. 'I try and stay in the present. It's probably best asking what it means after the game. But any chance of winning silverware is important.' Rovers boss Peters has told his players to embrace the weight of expectation that comes with being the domestic game's pre-eminent force, with the club having scarcely looked back since Lachlan Lam's drop-goal denied them their long-awaited triumph in 2023. East Hull has been awash with reminders that it is four decades since the Robins last lifted major honours, and Peters, who has immersed himself in the club and its community since he arrived as a relatively little-known head coach in 2023, is under no illusions about what a win would mean. 'I don't think about what it would mean for me, but I think it about the effect it will have on our club,' said Peters. 'The people involved can be legends of this club for a long time, so that excites me. What would excite me would be being in a WhatsApp group for the next 30 or 40 years with the guys who won a Challenge Cup, and being able to come back and meet up. 'We are a community club. I have always said our sole aim is to make our community proud, and we have got the chance to do that this weekend.' Peters admitted glancing back at certain aspects of the 2023 final but has resisted plunging into the negative emotions that followed that loss, pointing out his side's ability to shrug it off almost immediately and finish their domestic campaign on a high. 'I've watched some segments of the (2023) final because I know what I want to use this week, not so much about the emotions but around different actions in the game,' added Peters. 'If you talk about where you want to go, I believe that's a stronger emotion, so that's what I will be tapping into.'
North Wales Chronicle
13 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Sam Burgess and Willie Peters seeking swift redemption in Challenge Cup
Redemption would be swift for Burgess if he can inspire a side riddled with injury concerns to see off the current Super League leaders and erase the memory of last year's miserable 18-8 final defeat to Wigan. Meanwhile Peters has the lingering memories of Rovers' heartbreaking 2023 final loss to Leigh to erase, not to mention a 40-year trophyless streak to explode as his side look to live up to their deserved billing as heavy favourites. For Burgess, the current campaign has come in stark contrast to his successful debut season as a Super League coach, with injuries ravaging the Wolves spine and inconsistency leaving them languishing in eighth place in the table, but it has presented a challenge he has relished. 'This year has been enjoyable because I've learned a lot more,' said Burgess, who has resisted speculation that he is set for a swift return to Australia's NRL, insisting he is committed to seeing out his current contract with Warrington which expires in 2026. 'This year has been different to the first year. The first year was smooth sailing, but this year has been challenging with a number of things on and off the field. 'I've had to make some hard decisions and lost some key players at key times, and really had to think about coaching and different strategies. I think the group has learned a little bit more together as well, and this weekend is another chance for us to go as a group.' Captain George Williams has declared himself fit to return less than eight weeks after undergoing ankle surgery, but the respective absences through injury of hooker Danny Walker and winger Matty Ashton represent a major blow to Warrington's hopes of clinching a first title since 2019. Mindful of the way in which his side fell flat in last year's showpiece, Burgess is coy about the changes he has made in a bid to get his hands on the trophy for the first time as either a coach or a player, having fallen short of Wembley in his early-career stint with Bradford Bulls. 'I've changed a couple of things that I learned from last year,' said Burgess, who also refused to be drawn on what it would mean for him to add a Challenge Cup success to his CV at a relatively early stage in his coaching career. 'There's a lot of work to be done between now and the final whistle, so I try not to live that fantasy life,' said Burgess. 'I try and stay in the present. It's probably best asking what it means after the game. But any chance of winning silverware is important.' Rovers boss Peters has told his players to embrace the weight of expectation that comes with being the domestic game's pre-eminent force, with the club having scarcely looked back since Lachlan Lam's drop-goal denied them their long-awaited triumph in 2023. East Hull has been awash with reminders that it is four decades since the Robins last lifted major honours, and Peters, who has immersed himself in the club and its community since he arrived as a relatively little-known head coach in 2023, is under no illusions about what a win would mean. 'I don't think about what it would mean for me, but I think it about the effect it will have on our club,' said Peters. 'The people involved can be legends of this club for a long time, so that excites me. What would excite me would be being in a WhatsApp group for the next 30 or 40 years with the guys who won a Challenge Cup, and being able to come back and meet up. 'We are a community club. I have always said our sole aim is to make our community proud, and we have got the chance to do that this weekend.' Peters admitted glancing back at certain aspects of the 2023 final but has resisted plunging into the negative emotions that followed that loss, pointing out his side's ability to shrug it off almost immediately and finish their domestic campaign on a high. 'I've watched some segments of the (2023) final because I know what I want to use this week, not so much about the emotions but around different actions in the game,' added Peters. 'If you talk about where you want to go, I believe that's a stronger emotion, so that's what I will be tapping into.'
