Liam Marshall double edges Super League leaders Wigan past York Knights
These were the nights that critics of Super League’s decision to expand to 14 teams feared but as the new season settles into a rhythm, they are fast becoming some of the most enjoyable.Yes, the result was what almost everyone – even the most optimistic York Knights supporter – would have predicted at kick-off.But goodness, what a rollercoaster ride this was as Super League’s newest team pushed arguably its biggest and most recognisable heavyweight every step of the way on a thrilling evening in Wigan.Next weekend, Super League celebrates the 30th anniversary of its inaugural game.That night, Paris Saint-Germain announced their arrival as rugby league’s big hope for expansion with victory over Sheffield.
Like in 1996, the signs remain too early to make a definitive call but York are providing renewed vigour that there is life – and merit – in new Super League clubs,However, one constant from 30 years ago to today remains the might of Wigan, who appear to be the standard-bearers both on and off the field again this year,This may not have been theirmost sparkling display, with a Harry Smith drop goal ultimately the difference against a team who were a part-time operation and in the Championship just six months ago,But with 11 of their 17 homegrown, and several of them excelling here in the absence of the superstar duo Jai Field and Bevan French, Wigan’s production line continues to churn out talent that, in truth, rugby league remains hugely reliant on,The star here was young full-back Noah Hodkinson, man of the match on his Super League debut and the player who scored a decisive second-half try.
“We were not at our clinical best, we were far from slick with the ball but there’s a lot to admire and Noah typified that,” Wigan’s coach, Matt Peet, said after watching his side make it five wins from five and remain the only unbeaten side left standing in 2026.“We won’t all be optimal all the time.The important thing is when you get tested, you show resolve.”And how his side had to show resolve.Prior to Wigan coming alive in the second half, York had forged a 14-0 lead courtesy of tries from Paul Vaughan and David Nofoaluma, but the momentum shifted when the Knights’ Ata Hingano was sent to the sin-bin for a ruck infringement.
By the time he returned, things had shifted Wigan’s way decisively, courtesy of two tries for Liam Marshall.York held on until the break to lead 14-10 but it always felt as though eventually, Wigan’s quality would come to the fore.That appeared to be the case when they went ahead for the first time courtesy of Hodkinson’s sensational individual try, before York levelled the game up through a Danny Richardson penalty.Back came Wigan, though.Adam Keighran’s try coupled with a goal and subsequent drop goal from the boot of Smith moved the Warriors two scores ahead with 10 minutes left and finally, it looked as though York’s spirit had been broken.
But they responded with a sensational long-range try finished by Hingano to narrow the gap to one in the dying embers,This time though, York eventually ran out of steam and Wigan held on,The Knights are bringing the competitiveness few expected them to and as Peet insisted afterwards, they deserve immense credit,But this, in the end, was the Warriors’ night,
Bank of England tipped to raise UK interest rates twice this year to fight inflation shock from Middle East crisis, as oil and gas prices rise – as it happened
Time for a recap….A turbulent day in the financial markets has seen energy prices surge, and European stock markets fall.UK and European gas prices have jumped 15% today, after yesterday’s attacks by Iran on energy infrastructure across the Middle East.QatarEnergy has revealed that Iran’s strikes have damaged facilities responsible for producing 17% of the company’s LNG export capacity, and it could take three to five years to repair the damage.Brent crude jumped by 10% at one state – extending the gap between Brent and US oil – before slipping back to $110 a barrel, up 3
Oil and gas prices jump after Iran and Israel attack gasfields
Gas prices jumped to four-year highs and oil prices rose again after an escalation of attacks by Israel and Iran on gasfields heightened fears of prolonged disruption to international energy supplies.QatarEnergy told Reuters on Thursday that Iran had damaged facilities that produced 17% of the state-owned company’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity and that it would take three to five years to repair them.Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose by 10% to $119 a barrel at one point before slipping back to $110 a barrel, a gain of 3.3%. Crude prices have soared by 60% since the US-Israeli war on Iran started on 28 February
Lack of funding is stifling scientific research | Letter
Liz Kendall is right to warn that the UK must not let quantum computing talent slip through its fingers (UK must learn lessons from AI race and retain its quantum computing talent, says minister, 17 March).However, UK Research and Innovation’s current funding decisions risk doing exactly that.The government has announced £1bn for quantum computing, but it is cutting support for fundamental research in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics (PPAN). These are not separate issues. It is precisely the kind of blue-sky research funded through PPAN that trains the scientists and develops the ideas that underpin emerging technologies like quantum computing
Essex police pause facial recognition camera use after study finds racial bias
Essex police have paused the use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology after a study found cameras were significantly more likely to target black people than people of other ethnicities.The move to suspend use of the AI-enabled systems was revealed by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which regulates the use of the technology deployed so far by at least 13 police forces in London, south and north Wales, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Hampshire, Bedfordshire, Suffolk, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Surrey and Sussex.The ICO said Essex police had paused LFR deployments “after identifying potential accuracy and bias risks” and warned other forces to have mitigations in place. LFR systems are either mounted to fixed locations or deployed in vans. In January, the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, announced the number of LFR vans would increase five-fold, with 50 available to every police force in England and Wales
March Madness: Coach lashes out at elite programs as High Point shock Wisconsin
Chase Johnston made his first two-point basket of the season, a fast-break layup with 11.7 seconds remaining that gave No 12 seed High Point an 83-82 victory over fifth-seeded Wisconsin on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.Johnston finished with 14 points, including four three-pointers for the Panthers, who were 10-and-a-half-point underdogs. He came in shooting 64 of 136 (47.1%) from three-point range but 0 of 4 inside the arc
Keely Hodgkinson leads British medal hopes at world indoor championships
Due to a fault in their plane’s GPS, the British team for the world indoor championships arrived at their hotel in Torun late on Wednesday night. Perhaps they should have asked Keely Hodgkinson to guide them. After all, she knows this place better than most, and she is absolutely locked on reaching her target – a first world gold medal – in Poland this weekend.“I’m looking forward to it and this last month has been great,” she says on the eve of the championships, which begin on Friday morning. “I couldn’t ask to be in a better position to be honest
NHS was ‘on brink of collapse’ during pandemic, Covid inquiry finds
‘She didn’t want that pain’: Paola Marra’s brother despairs of Lords block on assisted dying bill
Ministers announce huge expansion of electronic tagging in England and Wales
Watchdog takes over running of home for adults with learning disabilities
Women and girls bearing brunt of water shortages globally, UN warns
Kent meningitis outbreak has been contained, health officials believe