Wigan 40-12 Harlequins

Wigan (24) 40
Tries: Richards, Riddell, Pryce, Carmont, Roberts, J Tomkins, Leuluai 2 Goals: Richards 4
Harlequins (6) 12
Tries: Gafa, Gale Goals: Orr 2

Wigan scored three tries in the opening 12 minutes as they strolled to a 40-12 win over a Harlequins side who had David Howell sent off before half-time.

Howell saw red for smashing Sam Tomkins in the face with his forearm moments after Matt Gafa had collected a high kick to bring Quins back to 14-6 down.

George Carmont and Amos Roberts punished the Quins by taking Wigan's try count to five before the break.

Thomas Leuluai added two of Wigan's four second-half tries.

Pat Richards opened the scoring after just 73 seconds for the Warriors when he collected Carmont's superb back-flick after a break by Sean O'Loughlin.

Tomkins' well-weighted kick allowed Mark Riddell to add four more points before Karl Pryce went over in the corner after Riddell ripped a high kick from the grasp of Quins winger Will Sharp.

Gafa climbed highest to collect Danny Orr's towering kick and pull Quins back into the game, but any thoughts of a comeback were ended by a moment of madness by Howell.

Referee Steve Ganson had already blown for an infringement when the centre knocked Tomkins over with a shot around the head and was deservedly sent off.

O'Loughlin's bullet pass sent Carmont over and Roberts spun away from two tackles as Warriors ruthlessly exposed 12-man Quins.

After the interval, Joel Tomkins evaded three tackles and touched down with his fingertips to make it 28-6.

Quins were not helping themselves with a number of handling errors and they twice allowed Leuluai to wriggle clear as the Warriors threatened to run riot.

But the visitors kept going and Luke Gale broke from dummy-half to score a consolation.

Wigan coach Brian Noble:
"It was a good show all round.

"We got a bit sloppy in the last 10 minutes but that is credit to Harlequins, they are a team that are never going to go away.

"We started well, our go-forward was good and our kicking was good.

"The game was probably out of reach for them at half-time with the sending off as well.

"My eyesight's not so good - I can't quite see the screen - but it certainly looked like a forearm or an elbow."

Harlequins coach Brian McDermott:
"We did start slowly and then David Howell getting sent off didn't help.

"In the second half I thought we were very brave and carried on playing.

"It sometimes hurt us playing because we lost the ball but I would rather do that than go into damage control. I didn't think we did that."

Wigan: Roberts, Carmont, Richards, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Paleaaesina, Bailey, O'Loughlin, J. Tomkins, Coley, Hansen, McIlorum, Prescott, Pryce, Phelps, S. Tomkins, Flanagan, Gleeson.

Harlequins: Clubb, Gafa, Gale, Gardner, Haggerty, Heckenberg, Howell, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Melling, O'Callaghan, Orr, Randall, Robinson, Sharp, Skee, Temata, Ward, Wells, Williamson.

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