WARRINGTON Wolves stormed to the top of Super League with a dominant victory over London Broncos.
Sam Burgess’ men scored 10 tries in the capital as they ran riot, including hat-tricks for both Josh Thewlis and Matt Dufty, as Stefan Ratchford broke the Super League record for consecutive successful kicks at goal, tying the first-class record at 41 by converting the first eight tries.
Adam Holroyd also scored his first two senior tries as The Wire raced into an 18-0 lead inside the first 15 minutes, with Ratchford himself getting over the whitewash in the second half along with James Harrison.
The Wire flew out of the traps to allay any fears of being caught cold by their winless hosts – Holroyd profited from a close-range offload to power over and then strolled over following Connor Wrench’s break, either side of Thewlis flying over in the corner from Dufty’s flat pass.
There was a brief Broncos riposte, with Hakim Miloudi powering through Thewlis to touch down in the right corner, but that was as good as it got from the hosts.
Dufty cantered clear on the counter-attack to re-establish authority, taking a grubber kick and weaving through a broken chase to go the length of the field.
London may have felt getting the first score after half time would have kept them in the contest, but they were hit by another red-hot start from their visitors as Thewlis completed his hat-trick either side of another Dufty score.
Dufty did secure his treble after James Harrison had dotted down from Leon Hayes’ kick, with Ratchford fittingly rounding off the scoring after his record-breaking outing.
London 4 Warrington 58 - post-match reaction
> THE FINAL WORD: Ruthless Wire dish out some capital punishment
> FAN PANEL: More signs of progress, and time for a couple to rest?
> THE MORNING AFTER: Records, fast starts and the right edge
> STAT ATTACK: The extent of Wire's physical dominance over Broncos
> What Sam Burgess has said about Wire's 10-try demolition of London
> Sam Burgess confirms positive Wire injury and availability news
> Ratchford the record-breaker - Wire skipper leaves London with goal-kicking mark
> Re-live the action as it happened here
Match facts:
Super League, Round Five
Sunday, March 17, 2024
London Broncos...4 Warrington Wolves...58
Broncos: Alex Walker; Lee Kershaw, Jarred Bassett, Hakim Miloudi, Iliess Macani; Jack Campagnolo, James Meadows; Rob Butler, Reiss Butterworth, Jacob Jones, Will Lovell, Fenton Rogers, Dean Parata. Subs: Marcus Stock, Oli Leyland, Jordan Williams, Rhys Kennedy. 18th man: Sam Davis
Wolves: Matt Dufty; Josh Thewlis, Connor Wrench, Toby King, Matty Ashton; Stefan Ratchford, Leon Hayes; James Harrison, Sam Powell, Paul Vaughan, Adam Holroyd, Joe Philbin, Jordy Crowther. Subs: Tom Whitehead, Max Wood, Zane Musgrove, Joe Bullock. 18th man: Matty Nicholson
Scoring: Holroyd try, 5mins, Ratchford goal, 0-6; Thewlis try, 8mins, Ratchford goal, 0-12; Holroyd try, 13mins, Ratchford goal, 0-18; Miloudi try, 23mins, 4-18; Dufty try, 30mins, Ratchford goal, 4-24; Thewlis try, 41mins, Ratchford goal, 4-30; Dufty try, 46mins, Ratchford goal,4-36; Thewlis try, 52mins, Ratchford goal, 4-42; Harrison try, 61mins, Ratchford goal, 4-48; Dufty try, 65mins, 4-52; Ratchford try, 73mins, Ratchford goal, 4-58
Penalties: Broncos 3 Wolves 2
Referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 3,324
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