Wigan Warriors suffer double injury blow ahead of crunch St Helens clash

Wigan Warriors will be without key forward Paddy Mago for next weekend’s trip to rivals St Helens, and team-mate Adam Keighran could also be missing through injury.

The Warriors ran riot in Perpignan on Saturday night, beating Catalans Dragons 40-4 at the Stade Gilbert Brutus thanks to a hat-trick from Liam Marshall as well as braces from both Zach Eckersley and Jai Field.

That victory in the South of France saw Wigan, who sit second on the Super League ladder, extend their advantage over third-placed Leeds back out to two competition points.

Brad Arthur’s Rhinos had gone level on points with them earlier in the day having thumped Hull FC 34-0.

But Saturday night’s success across the Channel has come at a cost for Wigan, with at least one absentee confirmed for next weekend’s derby clash.

Wigan Warriors suffer double injury blow ahead of crunch St Helens clash

Prop Mago will definitely be absent at the Totally Wicked Stadium having failed a HIA during the win over Catalans.

The 30-year-old left the field just after the half-hour mark, and never returned, with the news that he’d failed his HIA revealed as the second half got underway.

Centre Keighran meanwhile never got to take to the field against his former employers. Having been withdrawn early last weekend against Wakefield Trinity through knee pain, he pulled out of the clash with Catalans in the warm-up.

Speaking to Sky Sports post-match, Warriors head coach Peet reiterated those two blows, saying: “You never get it all your own way when you come to Catalans.

“We lost a player in the warm-up, and then we lost Patrick, so I like the toughness and the resilience of the group.

“(I like) the way Harvie Hill stood up, Kian McDermott, I love the fact that we can bring these payers through.

“It’s a great challenge for them to come over and play like this in France.”

Keighran’s absence saw skipper Liam Farrell shifted into the centres in Perpignan. At this stage, it remains to be seen whether his injury will keep him out of the trip to Saints.

Mago may be replaced by veteran England international Luke Thompson if he recovers from the calf injury which has kept him out of action since early July.

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