1996 Wigan RLFC season

1996 #ff0000 #ffffff Super League Super League I 2nd 19 1 2 902 326 Won Premiership Final Challenge Cup 5th round Chairman Jack Robinson Head Coach Graeme West Shaun EdwardsAndy Farrell Central Park 1995–96 1997 yes List of Wigan Warriors seasons The 1996 Wigan season was the 101st season in the club's rugby league history and the first season in the newly formed Super League. Coached by Graeme West and captained by Shaun Edwards, Wigan competed in Super League I and finished in 2nd place, but went on to win the Premiership Final at Old Trafford against St. Helens. The club also competed in the 1996 Challenge Cup, but were knocked out in the fifth round by First Division side Salford Reds, and was the first time the club had failed to win the trophy since 1987. In July 1996 Farrell was appointed Wigan's captain. Background 1995–96 Rugby Football League season List of Wigan Warriors seasons The 1995–96 season was a shortened transitional season ahead of the switch to the Super League, which would see the league become a summer competition. Wigan won the league championship for the seventh consecutive season, and also won the final staging of the League Cup, defeating St Helens 25–16. Wigan's dominance was expected to continue in the summer era, and the club were odds-on favourites to win the inaugural Super League.Irvine Christopher Stones Super League - Rugby League The Times 29 March 1996 London 46 Table WIG Match results WinDrawLoss Super League +DateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendance30 March 1996Oldham BearsAway56–16Connolly (3), Edwards (2), Offiah (2), Radlinski (2), Hall, PaulFarrell (8)7,7095 April 1996St. HelensAway26–41Hall (2), O'Connor, Smyth, TuigamalaPaul (3)15,8838 April 1996WarringtonHome42–12Edwards (2), Haughton, A. Johnson, Paul, Radlinski, Smyth, Farrell (6), Paul14,62014 April 1996Castleford TigersAway28–10Connolly, Farrell, Paul, Robinson, SmythFarrell (4)7,98519 April 1996Bradford BullsHome22–6Craig, Haughton, Murdock, PaulFarrell (3)9,8725 May 1996Paris Saint-GermainHome76–8Paul (3), Smyth (3), Connolly (2), Haughton (2), Cassidy, Farrell, Murdock, RadlinskiPaul (6), Farrell (4)10,67514 May 1996Halifax Blue SoxAway50–4Robinson (2), Smyth (2), Cassidy, Connolly, Edwards, Haughton, MurdockFarrell (5), Hall (2)5,26918 May 1996Workington TownAway64–16Farrell (2), Robinson (2), Tuigamala (2), Craig, Edwards, Hall, Murdock, OffiahFarrell (8), Paul, Tuigamala3,17629 May 1996Sheffield EaglesHome50–6Offiah (3), Cassidy, Connolly, Hall, A.Johnson, Paul, SmythFarrell (7)9,1581 June 1996LeedsAway40–20Smyth (2), Murdock, Offiah, Paul, RobinsonFarrell (8)9,5089 June 1996London BroncosHome18–18Murdock, Robinson, TuigamalaFarrell (3)9,18916 June 1996Oldham BearsHome44–16Robinson (3), Smyth (2), Connolly, Ellison, Haughton, QuinnellFarrell (2), Edwards, Hall7,22621 June 1996St. HelensHome35–19Robinson (2), Haughton, Murdock, Smyth, TuigamalaPaul (3), Hall (2), Robinson (DG)20,42930 June 1996WarringtonAway21–0Paul (2), Smyth (2) Connolly (2), Wright (DG)8,1035 July 1996Castleford TigersHome26–25Robinson (2), A. Johnson, TuigamalaFarrell (5)8,18012 July 1996Bradford BullsAway12–20Ellison, PaulFarrell (2)17,36020 July 1996Paris Saint-GermainAway24–20A. Johnson, Radlinski, Robinson, TuigamalaFarrell (4)5,42826 July 1996Halifax Blue SoxHome34–26Connolly, Ellison, Murdock, Paul, Radlinski, TuigamalaFarrell (5)8,2213 August 1996Sheffield EaglesAway54–12Paul (2), Connolly, Edwards, Ellison, Hall, Haughton, Murdock, RobinsonFarrell (9)5,1039 August 1996LeedsHome68–14Robinson (5), Connolly (2), Edwards (2), Cowie, Murdock, Radlinski, TuigamalaFarrell (8)7,81417 August 1996London BroncosAway34–13Paul (2), Edwards, A. Johnson, Robinson, TuigamalaFarrell (5)10,01424 August 1996Workington TownHome78–4Barrow (3), Paul (3), Edwards (2), Haughton (2), Robinson (2), Ellison, FarrellFarrell (9), Tuigamala (2)6,466 Premiership +GameDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceRefSemi Final31 August 1996Bradford BullsHome42–36Edwards (4), Ellison (2), Paul, RadlinskiFarrell (5)9,878MRFinal8 September 1996St. HelensNeutral44–14Ellison (3), Connolly, Edwards, Haughton, Murdock, Paul, RobinsonFarrell (4)35,013MR Challenge Cup Wigan's fourth round Challenge Cup tie against Second Division side Bramley took place a week after the end of the previous season. Wigan progressed to the next round with a comfortable 74–12 win, and drew Salford Reds in the next round. Wigan lost 16–26 against their First Division opponents, ending the club's unbeaten run of 43 games in the competition, and was the first time they had been knocked out of the Challenge Cup since being defeated by Oldham in February 1987.Hadfield Dave Wigan wilt at The Willows https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/wigan-wilt-at-the-willows-1318526.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/wigan-wilt-at-the-willows-1318526.html 2022-05-01 subscription live The Independent 29 July 2017 12 February 1996 The result is considered one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition.Mordey Tom Challenge Cup: We look back at some of the biggest upsets https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/26126/9849765/giant-killers-we-look-back-at-some-of-the-biggest-upsets-in-the-challenge-cup Sky Sports 30 July 2017 14 May 2015 +RoundDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceRefFourth28 January 1996BramleyHome74–12Offiah (4), Farrell (2), Quinnell (2), Radlinski (2), Connolly, Cowie, Robinson, TuigamalaHall (5), Paul (4)4,627MRFifth11 February 1996Salford RedsAway16–26Tuigamala (2), OffiahFarrell, Paul10,048MR Clash of the Codes Clash of the Codes (rugby) In addition to their league and cup exploits, Wigan took part in a special two-game series against Bath, the reigning champions of rugby union's Courage League, with one game being played under the rules of each code. Wigan won the game played under league rules at Maine Road 82–6, https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/bath-feel-full-force-of-wigan-might-1346405.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/bath-feel-full-force-of-wigan-might-1346405.html 2022-05-01 subscription The Independent Bath feel full force of Wigan might Dave Hadfield 1996-05-09 2019-03-22 but lost the union game at Twickenham by 44–19. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/the-union-empire-strikes-back-1349320.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/the-union-empire-strikes-back-1349320.html 2022-05-01 subscription The Independent The union empire strikes back Chris Hewett 1996-05-26 2019-03-22 +GameDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceRefLeague8 May 1996BathNeutral82–6Offiah (6), Robinson (2), O'Connor (2), Johnson (2), Paul, Cassidy, Quinnell, MurdockHall (5), Farrell (4)20,148MR https://web.archive.org/web/20160313111537/http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=574 2016-03-13 Union25 May 1996BathNeutral19–44Murdock (2), TuigamalaFarrell (2)42,000MR https://web.archive.org/web/20160313015348/http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=1243 2016-03-13 Middlesex Sevens During the 1996 season, Wigan competed in the Middlesex Sevens, a union sevens competition, and won the tournament. Squad Fletcher, Raymond 1997 Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1997 Headline Book Publishing 142 978-0-7472-7764-4 NoPlayerAppsTriesGoalsDGsPoints 1 Kris Radlinski 21 10 0 0 40 2 Jason Robinson Jason Robinson (rugby) 25 26 0 1 105 3 Va'aiga Tuigamala 25 13 3 0 58 4 Gary Connolly 25 15 2 0 64 5 Martin Offiah 10 12 0 0 48 6 Henry Paul rugby 23 22 19 0 126 7 Shaun Edwards 24 17 1 0 70 8 Kelvin Skerrett 12 0 0 0 0 9 Martin Hall Martin Hall (rugby league) 26 6 10 0 44 10 Terry O'Connor Terry O'Connor (rugby league) 26 1 0 0 4 11 Simon Haughton 26 11 0 0 44 12 Mick Cassidy 25 3 0 0 12 13 Andy Farrell 26 7 113 0 254 14 Rob Smyth 17 16 0 0 64 15 Danny Ellison 11 10 0 0 40 16 Scott Quinnell 11 3 0 0 12 17 Andy Johnson Andy Johnson (rugby league) 21 5 0 0 20 18 Craig Murdock 21 11 0 0 44 19 Martin Dermott 0 0 0 0 0 20 Daryl Cardiss 1 0 0 0 0 21 Nigel Wright Nigel Wright (rugby league) 2 0 0 1 1 21 Andy Craig 11 2 0 0 8 22 Steve Barrow Steve Barrow (rugby league) 10 3 0 0 12 22 Paul Johnson Paul Johnson (rugby league born 1978) 1 0 0 0 0 23 Matt Knowles Matt Knowles (rugby league) 3 0 0 0 0 24 Shem Tatupu 3 0 0 0 0 25 Neil Cowie 21 2 0 0 8 26 Sean Long 3 0 0 0 0 27 Neil Baynes 3 0 0 0 0 28 Gaël Tallec 1 0 0 0 0 Transfers In PlayerPosFromFeeDateRef Stuart Lester Fullback Auckland Warriors August 1996 Stephen Holgate Second-row Workington Town £100,000 December 1996 Ian Sherratt Prop forward Oldham Bears £30,000 December 1996 Doc Murray Fullback Auckland Warriors December 1996 Out PlayerPosToFeeDateRef Scott Quinnell Second-row Richmond (RU) £250,000 June 1996 Huxley John Wigan's Strife of Bryan https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-61161356.html Sunday Mirror 2 February 2014 26 May 1996 2014-06-11 HighBeam Research subscription usurped https://web.archive.org/web/20140611030807/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-61161356.html London Shem Tatupu Prop forward Northampton Saints (RU) £80,000 July 1996 Warrington pin pounds 1.35m price tag on Harris https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/warrington-pin-pounds-135m-price-tag-on-harris-1330169.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/warrington-pin-pounds-135m-price-tag-on-harris-1330169.html 2022-05-01 subscription The Independent 2 February 2014 24 July 1996 Martin Offiah Winger London Broncos £300,000 August 1996 Richards Martin Bronco Offiah http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Bronco+Offiah.-a061317844 2 February 2014 The Mirror 3 August 1996 London Martin Dermott Hooker Warrington Wolves September 1996 Andy Craig Centre Swinton Lions December 1996 Hadfield Dave Rugby League: Winter games' success https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-winter-games-success-1316257.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-winter-games-success-1316257.html 2022-05-01 subscription 3 February 2014 The Independent 28 December 1996 References 2 External links Wigan Warriors Rugby League Fan Site https://web.archive.org/web/20140219022228/http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=3303 2014-02-19 Wigan - Rugby League Project Category:Wigan Warriors seasons Wigan Warriors