Sam Burgess frustrated after Leigh beat Warrington 28-12
Sam Burgess said the 28-12 scoreline did not reflect how tight Warrington Wolves' Betfred Super League clash with Leigh Leopards was after the hosts sealed a fifth straight win, rising to fifth and drawing level on points with his side, who have now lost three of their last four matches this month. Early tries from David Armstrong and Lachlan Lam set the tone at Leigh Sports Village on Saturday, 25 July 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Leigh beat Warrington 28-12 to make it five Super League wins on the spin.
- Tries came from Armstrong, Lam, Innes Senior, Joe Ofahengaue and Umyla Hanley, with Adam Cook landing four goals.
- Sam Burgess told Sky Sports the scoreline flattered Leigh and that his side showed second-half spirit without points.
- Leigh moved to fifth and level on 26 points with Warrington, who have a game in hand.
- Josh Charnley and Leon Hayes were both sin-binned early after the break.
What did Sam Burgess say after the defeat?
Warrington head coach Sam Burgess was clear that the result hurt more than the contest itself. Speaking to Sky Sports after the Round 20 loss, he argued the gap on the scoreboard overstated how close the game felt.
"It is one of those games. I thought the scoreline probably didn't reflect the game or how tight the game was," Burgess said. "In that second half I thought we started with great spirit. We just couldn't get any points."
That assessment matches a second half in which the Wolves held plenty of ball yet still shipped further tries. For more sports-desk alerts and viral round-ups, see our Fintech & Crypto Alerts hub.
How did Leigh build their 28-12 win?
According to BBC Sport, Leigh never really relinquished control after Armstrong sold a dummy from full-back and Lam supported Umyla Hanley to score under the posts. Adam Cook later added a penalty before Toafofoa Sipley powered over for Warrington.
Senior finished in the left corner before half-time for a 16-6 lead. After Charnley's sin-bin for head contact on Toby King and Hayes' yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Owen Trout, Ofahengaue forced his way over and Hanley sliced through a clutch of defenders. Albert Hopoate's late try was only a consolation.
Leigh coach Adrian Lam said he was relieved after a physical contest in which his side defended well while short of fresh legs. Sky Sports also reported Frankie Halton suffered a suspected torn pectoral that could end his season.
Where does this leave the Super League play-off race?
Victory lifted Leigh above Hull KR into fifth and kept them firmly in the top-six chase, with five of their last seven fixtures still at home. Warrington remain level on points but have lost three of four this month and must regroup before facing Castleford, while Leigh host neighbours Wigan on Friday.
Since successive April losses to the Wire in Super League and the Challenge Cup, Leigh had won 10 of 12 before this fifth straight league success, including Magic Weekend revenge three weeks earlier. Sam Burgess' side now need a response to stay in step with the in-form Leopards.