Wigan thrash Saints in opening Super Four game

Betfred Women's Super League

Tries: McColm Goals: Gaskin

Tries: Derbyshire 2, Hunter 2, Davies, M Jones, Wilton, Foubister, Coleman Goals: Rowe 4

Wigan Warriors maintained their 100% record in 2026 as they comfortably saw off rivals St Helens in the first match of the new Super Four format.

It was a fifth successive win for them over Saints in the past 12 months, including a 54-6 demolition in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley, as they underlined why they are the team to beat in the Women's Super League.

The defending champions scored nine tries with two apiece for Ellise Derbyshire and Eva Hunter with further scores from Anna Davies, Molly Jones, Remi Wilton, Jenna Foubister and Mary Coleman at the BrewDog Stadium.

St Helens were outclassed on home turf and had only a Luci McColm try on the stroke of half-time on a difficult evening.

Whatever the format, though, there is no doubt that Wigan are the standard-bearers for the rest to catch.

They scored from their first set as a high kick into the sun on the last tackle was spilled by young Saints full-back Liv Leach and bounced invitingly for Derbyshire to score.

That was soon backed up by a fabulous individual try from Woman of Steel Hunter as she received the ball inside her own half and showed an irresistible combination of power, pace and sidestepping to score.

To make matters worse for Saints, Leach had to be carried off the field and by the 15th minute the contest was nearly over as Davies went over in the corner after a gorgeous kick over the top from Izzy Rowe.

Derbyshire and Hunter crossed for their second tries and only a poor conversion rate from Rowe prevented Wigan from being out of sight.

With this, Saints finally gained some possession and repeat sets and McColm went over just before the interval.

However, hopes of any kind of comeback never materialised as Jones' try on her first appearance of the season after a knee injury got Wigan moving again.

And the champions simply were too hot to handle in the final quarter as Wilton, Foubister and Coleman went over as Denis Betts' side picked up from where they had left off in their last match nearly four weeks ago.

This was the opening match in the new Super Four format introduced for the 2026 season.

After seven rounds of games, with all sides playing each other once, the league has been split into a top four and a bottom four although all points have been carried forward.

There are now six rounds of games over the next six weekends with home-and-away fixtures against the other three teams in their section in an attempt to have the best teams playing each other more often to increase competition and intensity.

So Wigan play Saints, Leeds Rhinos and York Valkyrie twice, with the side who finishes top at the end of that securing a direct place into the Grand Final, second and third having a play-off to decide who else reaches that game and fourth missing out completely.

Meanwhile in the Shield, for the sides from fifth to eighth after seven matches, the side finishing bottom at the end of the season will play the winners of the National Championship for the final remaining Super League spot in 2027.

Leigh Leopards v Featherstone Rovers (13:00 BST)

Leeds Rhinos v York Valkyrie (14:00)

Huddersfield Giants v Barrow Raiders (14:00)

St Helens: Leach; Rotheram, Hardcastle, Woosey, Hook; Drescher, Gaskin; Hoyle-Holdsworth, Casey, Rudge, Travis, McColm, Cunningham.

Interchanges: Harris, Whitfield, Mottershead, McDonald.

Wigan: Banks; Davies, Salihi, M Jones, Derbyshire; Foubister, Rowe; Coleman, Wilton, Sams, Hunter, C Jones, Williams.

Interchanges: Marsh, Atherton, Dainton, Gentles.