Wigan winger Bevan French broke the Super League record for most tries in a single game as he crossed for seven as they ran riot in a 60-0 win over Hull FC.
Australian French, who is out of contract at the end of the season, scored four tries in the first half before grabbing three more to break Lesley Vainikolo’s record that has stood since September 2005.
Jai Field, who had a hand in three of French’s first-half scores, ran the length of the field to score his first try before adding a second following great work from Patrick Mago and Cade Cust.
Hull just did not have an answer for French or Field and it showed. Even with French off the pitch, Wigan scored two more tries with Liam Marshall and Harry Smith getting in on the act.
It took 14 minutes for the first points to be scored. Jack Brown knocked on for Hull as he tried to prevent a quick Wigan play-the-ball and from the resulting scrum, the ball was moved to Field on the right and he drew his marker in to send French in at the corner.
Wigan then made it two tries in the space of four minutes to leave Hull shellshocked. A neat inside kick from Smith was collected by Field, and after losing his footing, he got the ball out to French for his second.
Hull were handed the chance to hit back after Morgan Smithies knocked on in his own half, but it was the home fans who were soon on their feet. A kick on the last tackle from Luke Gale was collected by Field and he proceeded to run the full length of the field to score.
French completed a first half hat-trick with Field once again having a hand in it. Kai Pearce-Paul and Field combined down the right, before the latter fired out a cut-out pass for French to race on and score.
French was more than a pain in the side of Hull as he had the simple task of picking up a loose ball on Hull’s line to grab his fourth and the easiest one he will ever score. Smith added his fourth conversion and Wigan led 28-0 at the break.
Wigan showed no signs of taking their foot off the gas as they scored three minutes after the break. Pearce-Paul took on the defensive line before unleashing a one-handed offload to French, the winger then showed some silky footwork to grab his fifth of the evening.
A barnstorming run from Mago saw him get the ball out to Cust, who then sent it back inside for Field to race away for his second try.
Field attacked down the right and sent French in for his sixth try – breaking Wigan’s record for the most Super League tries in one game.
Not content with breaking Wigan’s record, he took the Super League record as he got the ball down in the corner to register his seventh.
He was then taken off for the remainder of the game and further tries from Marshall and Smith ended a dismal night for Hull with the latter taking his personal tally to 20 points after an eighth conversion.
