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

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.

Table

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. The result is considered one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition. +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

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, but lost the union game at Twickenham by 44–19. +GameDateOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceRefLeague8 May 1996BathNeutral82–6Offiah (6), Robinson (2), O'Connor (2), Johnson (2), Paul, Cassidy, Quinnell, MurdockHall (5), Farrell (4)20,148MR Union25 May 1996BathNeutral19–44Murdock (2), TuigamalaFarrell (2)42,000MR

Middlesex Sevens During the 1996 season, Wigan competed in the Middlesex Sevens, a union sevens competition, and won the tournament.

Squad

NoPlayerAppsTriesGoalsDGsPoints 1 21 10 0 0 40 2 25 26 0 1 105 3 25 13 3 0 58 4 25 15 2 0 64 5 10 12 0 0 48 6 23 22 19 0 126 7 24 17 1 0 70 8 12 0 0 0 0 9 26 6 10 0 44 10 26 1 0 0 4 11 26 11 0 0 44 12 25 3 0 0 12 13 26 7 113 0 254 14 17 16 0 0 64 15 11 10 0 0 40 16 11 3 0 0 12 17 21 5 0 0 20 18 21 11 0 0 44 19 0 0 0 0 0 20 1 0 0 0 0 21 2 0 0 1 1 21 11 2 0 0 8 22 10 3 0 0 12 22 1 0 0 0 0 23 3 0 0 0 0 24 3 0 0 0 0 25 21 2 0 0 8 26 3 0 0 0 0 27 3 0 0 0 0 28 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 Shem Tatupu Prop forward Northampton Saints (RU) £80,000 July 1996 Martin Offiah Winger London Broncos £300,000 August 1996 Martin Dermott Hooker Warrington Wolves September 1996 Andy Craig Centre Swinton Lions December 1996

References

External links Wigan Warriors Rugby League Fan Site Wigan - Rugby League Project