Summary

  • Wakefield Trinity beat Leigh Leopards 26-16 in opening Super League play-off eliminator

  • Max Jowitt penalty and tries from Tyson Smoothy and Tom Johnstone give Wakefield lead before David Armstrong's try just before half-time

  • Isiah Vagana and Caius Faatili power over after the break before Trinity go down to 12 men after Emre Guler is sent off

  • Lachlan Lam sprints in for a second Leigh try

  • Jowitt kicks penalty to put Wakefield 14 points in front

  • Innes Senior adds another try for Leigh

  • Trinity will meet either Wigan Warriors or Leeds Rhinos in semi-finals next weekend

Send us your views

Live Reporting

Jay Freeman

  1. Wakefield 24-6 Leigh

    Ooh er.

    Emre Guler's gone in with his hand on the face of Owen Trout.

    He could see red for this.

  2. Wakefield 24-6 Leigh

    Leigh put a kick chase in to goal but it bounces out before they can race on to it.

    It's not happening for them so far.

  3. NO TRY

    Wakefield 24-6 Leigh

    Owen Trout's judged to have gone in late on Lachlan Walmsley in the build-up to that try and it's chalked off by video referee Liam Rush.

    No dice, but that was better from Leigh.

  4. TRY REVIEW

    Wakefield 24-6 Leigh

    Josh Charnley picks up the ball and tries to run in to get Leigh up and running for the half but he's held up.

    Leigh keep it going and Andrew Badrock's in for the visitors.

    But referee Chris Kendall's sending it upstairs.

  5. Wakefield 24-6 Leigh

    There's an absolutely thumping atmosphere here.

    Wakefield certainly have all the hallmarks of a club on the up. And a Super League play-off semi-final beckons if they are to hold on to this sizeable lead.

  6. Wakefield 24-6 Leigh

    Ryan Hall
    Leeds Rhinos winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Fantastic pressure from Wakefield.

    Hamlin-Uele has come on with a load of energy and provided a platform there for that try.

  7. try

    TRY: Wakefield 24-6 Leigh

    Caius Faatili, goal Max Jowitt

    Wakefield extend that lead off the back off Jack Ashworth's error.

    Caius Faatili - who's been supreme for Trinity tonight - picks up the ball inside Leigh's 10, turns and beats the Leopards' defence and dots down with relative ease.

    This is quite a lead for the hosts now. And that gap's even wider now Max Jowitt makes no mistake with the boot, right in the front of the posts.

  8. Wakefield 18-6 Leigh

    Yikes.

    Jack Ashworth clearly isn't expecting the pass from Edwin Ipape, who is to his left.

    The Leigh man isn't wise to it and the ball bounces off his chest and then hands as he reacts too late and he knocks on.

    Wakefield win another set of six deep in Leigh territory.

  9. Wakefield 18-6 Leigh

    Wakefield chuck the ball around with ease having gained possession back soon after the restart.

    But Leigh hold firm and Trinity run out of tackles just two metres from the try-line.

  10. Wakefield 18-6 Leigh

    What have you got in the locker, Leigh?

    The deficit is 12 points and two scores right now. They need a response and they need one quick if they are to extend their season beyond tonight.

  11. Wakefield 18-6 Leigh

    Ryan Hall
    Leeds Rhinos winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

    It opened up really nicely for Vagana and the Leigh defence wasn't at the races on that play.

    He took on Davey Armstrong and the bigger man is always going to win that battle.

    Isaiah Vagana, of Wakefield, runs with the ballSWPix.com
  12. try

    TRY: Wakefield 18-6 Leigh

    Isaiah Vagana, goal Max Jowitt

    A huge try!

    Isaiah Vagana bolsters his way over the line despite Edwin Ipape and David Armstrong's efforts to stop him but this Wakefield try is as much about the build-up.

    Caius Faatili is a one-man battering ram as he gained the ground shortly beforehand which aided Trinity's pursuit of the first try of this second half.

    Max Jowitt adds the two.

  13. Wakefield 12-6 Leigh

    Great carry from Mike McMeeken as Wakefield go on the attack early in this second half.

    Trinity carry on their momentum into defence as they force Lachlan Lam into a kick from midway through the Leigh half soon after, too.

  14. SECOND HALF

    Wakefield 12-6 Leigh

    Wakefield get us back under way.

    Leigh finished strongly in the first half. Can they pick up where they left off?

  15. Wakefield 12-6 Leigh

    Ryan Hall
    Leeds Rhinos winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Leigh are going to be full of confidence now, only six points down with how the half has gone for them.

    The game is right on the line.

  16. Wigan's Hunter, Foubister and Williams nominated for Woman of Steel

    HT: Wakefield 12-6 Leigh

    Wigan Warriors trio Eva Hunter, Jenna Foubister and Megan WilliamsSWPix

    Wigan Warriors trio Eva Hunter, Jenna Foubister and Megan Williams have been shortlisted for the 2026 Woman of Steel award.

    It is the second year in a row that three Wigan players have been nominated for the end-of-season award after Foubister, Hunter and Isabel Rowe were named in 2025.

    Hunter won last season's award, with the 2026 winner to be named during the Rugby League Awards night in Manchester on Tuesday, 29 September - two days after the Women's Super League Grand Final.

    The award could cap off another momentous season for Wigan, who are on the cusp of completing a second successive domestic women's treble.

    Read more here.

  17. Wakefield 12-6 Leigh

    Ryan Hall
    Leeds Rhinos winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

    It's a play that Leigh have been trying to use quite a bit.

    This time, the Wakefield defence didn't read it and they were nowhere near Davey Armstrong and he goes scything through.

  18. Half-time

    Wakefield 12-6 Leigh

    Game well and truly on.

    I said I would be surprised if Leigh scored before the hooter. And I was wrong.

    We've got a game on our hands here, folks.

  19. try

    TRY: Wakefield 12-6 Leigh

    David Armstrong, goal Adam Cook

    Oh hello.

    Leigh get some points on the board and hit back right on the half-time hooter!

    A neat set of passes from Lachlan Lam and Owen Trout feeds David Armstrong to catch out Wakefield and run in.

    Adam Cook adds the two from a tight angle and Jacob Alick-Wiencke has also passed his HIA.

    A good few minutes for Leigh to end the half, there. Game on.

  20. Wakefield 12-0 Leigh

    Game's back on and Tom Johnstone plays on.

    The half-time hooter's on its way.