Super League: Wigan Warriors’ Matt Peet pleased to get the win; Tony Smith vows Hull KR improvements | Rugby League News

Wigan got new head coach Matt Peet off to a winning start with a 24-10 victory away to Hull Kingston Rovers in their opening game of the 2022 Betfred Super League season

Matt Peet got off to a winning start as Wigan head coach

Matt Peet admitted his Wigan side made hard work of their opening win of the Super League season as they saw off Hull KR at Sewell Group Craven Park.

The Warriors outscored their hosts by five tries to two for a 24-10 victory, but both sides made plenty of mistakes in a contest which was more one-sided than the final score might have suggested.

Jake Bibby and Liam Marshall each scored two tries and Jai Field also crossed as the Warriors were too strong for a fellow top-six side from last season.

Marshall stunner helps Warriors begin new era with win

Two tries apiece from Jake Bibby and Liam Marshall helped Wigan begin the Matt Peet era with a 24-10 win at Hull KR.

“I’m pleased with the result, I’m pleased with the amount of togetherness in the group,” Wigan head coach Peet said. “We looked well-organised.

“A lack of accuracy in our defence meant we had to make more tackles than we needed to.”

Despite his side dominating when it came to turning possession into points, Peet felt Rovers brought plenty to the contest.

The Wigan coach was, however, pleased his side recorded their first win to get their points tally up and running for the season.

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Matt Peet gets off to a flying start for Wigan with a 24-10 victory over Hull KR in the Super League.

“I think it’s good that we’ve made a good start and got a good result because it builds confidence and it builds momentum,” Peet said

“We put ourselves under pressure and we handled it but we could have got burned. It only takes a bounce of the ball.”

Smith: We will get better soon

Hull KR coach Tony Smith admitted his side had contributed to their own downfall, but he vowed they would get better.

Rovers wing Sam Wood had a debut to forget as he twice dropped high balls which Bibby turned into scores.

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Jai Field says he really enjoyed playing in a hostile ground and they completed well after Wigan Warriors got off to a winning start against Hull KR

Meanwhile, Mikey Lewis and Matt Parcell scored tries for the home side.

“We certainly helped Wigan build their game,” Smith said. “Wigan outplayed us, Matty outcoached me. They came out with some really good plans and some smart plays.

“We ran into their hands for most of the evening and we didn’t quite come up with the answers. We will, and soon as well.

“We played into their hands and I’m not trying to take any credit away from Wigan. They deserved to win and we contributed to that.

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Tony Smith was disappointed that Hull KR were outplayed by Wigan Warriors after a 10-24 opening day defeat in the Super League

“The disappointing thing was we didn’t build the game. We knew what their frailties could be, and we played to their strengths.”

Smith is confident Wood will rebound from his bad night as well.

“He’s a terrific young guy,” Smith said. “I’m confident about that boy because I think he’s a terrific guy. He will bounce back from that.”