A vastly weakened Leeds Rhinos side with one eye on next weekend’s Challenge Cup final against Hull FC made the trip over the Pennines to take on a strong looking Wigan Warriors side who are also in Cup action against Salford Red Devils a week on Sunday.

The bookies gave the second placed Rhinos absolutely no chance of taking the two points, and handed them a twenty point start on the coupon, despite the Rhinos winning the game at Headingley earlier in the season by 26-18.

A win for the Rhinos would come close to killing off and aspirations that eighth placed Wigan might have of a top four finish, but a home victory would put them right in the mix.

The Rhinos youngsters held out until the eleventh minute before Michael McIlorum broke the deadlock when he went five metres with a scoot from dummy half to dive over through a broken Leeds defence. George Williams added the extra two for a 6-0 lead.

Three minutes later and Sam Tomkins wove through the Leeds defence, kicked the ball forwards, and then outpaced the Leeds defence to dive on the ball for a four pointer. Williams failed to add the extras.

Willie Isa had a try ruled out for obstruction on twenty-two, but on thirty-one George Williams used his strength to carry three Leeds defenders over the line to ground. Williams again failed to add the conversion leaving his side with a 14-0 lead.

On thirty-six Jack Walker lost the ball on the Wigan line as he stretched out to score in the Rhinos most threatening passage of play of the half but there was no change to the score line as the half time hooter sounded.

Ten minutes into the second half and Wigan finally wore down the Leeds defence when Oliver Gildart took a Sam Powell pass to spin off the Rhinos defenders and drop over the line. Williams again failed to kick the extras but the Rhinos were three converted tries behind.

Ten minutes into the second half it was 24-0 after Williams broke downfield and found Gildart in support to go under the sticks. This time Williams added the extra two.

Ten out from the end of the game Tom Davies dove over in the corner off a Gelling pass to ground spectacularly. Williams missed his fourth kick of the night but Wigan were 28-0 ahead.

On seventy-three Williams grabbed his second off a Gildart pass to outpace the Leeds defence and dive over. Sam Powell took over the kicking duties and slotted over the extra two points to seal a 34-0 victory.

A very young Rhinos squad was never going to be a match for an experienced Wigan and the final score line demonstrated the Warriors dominance. Wigan were professional, without being ruthless, and in the parts of the game when the Rhinos offered a robust resistance there appeared to still be some doubt and the lack of confidence that has dogged their 2017.

Wigan have narrowed the gap to the top four and keep alive their play-off hopes but the likelihood is that they will have to play better than this to make it to Old Trafford to defend their title.

Warriors: Tomkins (T), Davies (T), Gelling, Gildart (2T), Burgess, Williams (2T, 2G), Leuluai, Nuuausala, McIlorum (T), Sutton, Isa, Bateman, O'Loughlin. Subs: Clubb, Powell (G), Tautai, Wells.

Rhinos: Walker, Briscoe, Keinhorst, Sutcliffe A., Newman, Golding, Lilley, Garbutt, Jones-Buchanan, Baldwinson, Ormondroyd, Ablett, Mullally. Subs: Oledzki, Jordan-Roberts, Smith, Whiteley.

Referee: Ben Thaler.

Half-Time: 14-0.

Full-Time: 34-0.

Attendance: 15,417.