2023 Leigh Leopards season

Leigh Leopards 2023 season
2023 recordWins: 13; losses: 6
Points scoredFor: 458; against: 309
Team information
ChairmanDerek Beaumont
Head CoachAdrian Lam
Captain
StadiumLeigh Sports Village
Top scorers
TriesJosh Charnley (23)
GoalsBen Reynolds (52)
PointsBen Reynolds (124)
← 2022 List of seasons 2024 →

The 2023 season was the Leigh Leopards's 4th season overall and 1st season back playing in England's top division of rugby league after relegation to the RFL Championship in 2021. During the season, they competed in the Super League XXVIII and the 2023 Challenge Cup.

Preseason friendlies

[edit]
Date and Time Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
22 January, 15:00 Leeds Rhinos H Leigh Sports Village W 14-12 Charnley, Leutele, Hardaker Hardaker 1/3 2,941 [1]

Super League

[edit]
Main article: Super League XXVIII

Fixtures

[edit]
  • All fixtures subject to change
Date and time Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance TV Report
18 February, 13:00 Salford Red Devils H Leigh Sports Village L 10–20 10,029 Channel 4 [2]
26 February, 20:00 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus L 6–14 12,306 Not televised [3]
4 March, 20:00 Hull KR A Craven Park W 30–25 7,565 Not televised [4]
11 March, 20:00 St Helens H Leigh Sports Village W 20–12 11,451 Sky Sports [5]
18 March, 19:45 Warrington Wolves A Halliwell Jones Stadium L 20–38 5,777 Not televised [6]
26 March, 20:00 Hull F.C. A MKM Stadium W 24–16 11,492 Sky Sports [7]
31 March, 20:00 Wigan Warriors H Leigh Sports Village L 6–34 9,189 Sky Sports [8]
8 April, 15:00 Salford Red Devils H Leigh Sports Village L 20–22 6,002 Sky Sports [9]
17 April, 20:00 Wakefield Trinity A Belle Vue W 32–0 15,026 Sky Sports [10]
22 April, 15:00 Leeds Rhinos H Leigh Sports Village W 20–6 12,240 Not televised [11]
6 May, 20:00 Castleford Tigers H Leigh Sports Village W 30–6 10,251 Sky Sports [12]
13 May, 20:00 Huddersfield Giants A John Smith's Stadium W 30–4 12,167 Sky Sports [13]
27 May, 20:00 Warrington Wolves H Leigh Sports Village W 30–12 Not recorded Sky Sports [14]
4 June, 15:45 Wakefield Trinity N St James' Park W 30–4 Lam 2, Mulhern, Ipape, Charnley Reynolds 1/1, Hardaker (3/4 + 1 pen.) 36,943 Sky Sports [15]
9 June, 20:00 Hull F.C. H Leigh Sports Village W 28–16 Gareth O'Brien, Briscoe, Charnley 2, Joseph Mellor Hardaker (4/5) 16,272 Sky Sports [16]
25 June, 20:00 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus L 30–38 Chamberlain 2, Ipape, Charnley, Briscoe Reynolds 5/5 Sky Sports [17]
1 July, 05:00 Hull KR H Leigh Sports Village W 34–4 Briscoe, Ipape, Chamberlain, Charnley, Mulhern Reynolds 5/5 Sky Sports [18]
8 July, 19:45 Castleford Tigers A Mend-A-Hose Jungle W 34–16 Amone, Lam 2, Briscoe, Charnley 2 Reynolds 5/6 Sky Sports [19]
17 July, 20:00 Salford Red Devils A AJ Bell Stadium W 24–22 Chamberlain, Leutele, Lam, Hardaker Reynolds 3/4 + 1 pen.) Sky Sports [20]
29 July, 13:00 Wigan Warriors A DW Stadium L 18–44 Amone, Briscoe, Mulhern Reynolds 3/3 Channel 4 [21]
7 August, 12:00 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley Stadium W 13 –6 Ipape, Amone Reynolds 1/2 + 1 pen.), O'Brien 1 Drop goal [22]
20 August, 20:00 Catalans Dragons H Leigh Sports Village –
26 August, 18:00 Hull KR A Craven Park –
2 September, 20:00 Huddersfield Giants H Leigh Sports Village – Sky Sports
9 September, 05:00 St Helens A Totally Wicked Stadium –
16 September, 05:00 Wakefield Trinity H Leigh Sports Village –
22 September, 20:00 Wigan Warriors H Leigh Sports Village L 6–10 Lam Reynolds 1/1 [23]

Table

[edit]
Pos Team
 Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Wigan Warriors (L, C) 27 20 0 7 722 360 +362 40 Qualification to Semi-finals
2 Catalans Dragons 27 20 0 7 722 420 +302 40
3 St. Helens 27 20 0 7 613 366 +247 40 Qualification to Eliminators
4 Hull KR 27 16 0 11 589 498 +91 32
5 Leigh Leopards 27 16 0 11 585 508 +77 32
6 Warrington Wolves 27 14 0 13 597 512 +85 28
7 Salford Red Devils 27 13 0 14 494 512 −18 26
8 Leeds Rhinos 27 12 0 15 535 534 +1 24
9 Huddersfield Giants 27 11 0 16 473 552 −79 22
10 Hull FC 27 10 0 17 476 654 −178 20
11 Castleford Tigers 27 6 0 21 323 774 −451 12
12 Wakefield Trinity (R) 27 4 0 23 303 742 −439 8 Relegation to Championship
Source: Super League
(C) Champions; (L) League Leaders' Shield Winners; (R) Relegated

Challenge Cup

[edit]
Leigh Leopards celebrating winning the 2023 Challenge Cup
Main article: 2023 Challenge Cup
Date and time Round Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance TV Report
20 May, 14:30 Round 6 Wakefield Trinity A The Be Well Support Stadium W 40–12 1,568 BBC One[24] [25]
18 June, 17:00 Quarter Finals York Knights A York Community Stadium W 34–14 Joseph Mellor, Tom Amone, Briscoe 2, Charnley 2 O'Brien (2), Hardaker (3) BBC One[26]
22 July, 14:30 Semi Finals St Helens A Halliwell Jones Stadium W 12–10 Holmes, Hardaker Reynolds (2) BBC One[27]
12 August, 15:00 Final Hull KR A Wembley Stadium W 17–16 Lam, Briscoe Reynolds (2) + 2 pen.), Lam 1 Drop goal 58,213 BBC One [28]

Transfers

[edit]

Gains

[edit]
Player Club Contract Date
England Gareth O'Brien Castleford Tigers 2 years October 2022[29]
Samoa Ricky Leutele Huddersfield Giants
England Tom Briscoe Leeds Rhinos
England Zak Hardaker
England Nathan Wilde Newcastle Thunder
England Matt Davis Warrington Wolves
England Jacob Gannon
England Oliver Holmes
England Jack Hughes
England Robbie Mulhern
England Umyla Hanley Wigan Warriors January 2023[30]
England Frankie Halton Hull KR

Losses

[edit]

Squad

[edit]
2023 Leigh Squad
First team squad Coaching staff

Head coach


Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 13 January 2023
Source(s): 2023 Squad Numbers


Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/leigh-leopards-14-leeds-rhinos-12-lessons-for-rhinos-in-hard-fought-clash-3996145
  2. ^ "Super League: Shaun Kenny-Dowall treble leads Hull Kingston Rovers to 27-18 win over Warriors". Sky Sports.
  3. ^ "Super League (Sky Sports)". SkySports.
  4. ^ "Super League (Sky Sports)". SkySports.
  5. ^ "Super League: Catalans Dragons go top as Manu Ma'u double seals 18-10 victory over Wigan Warriors". Sky Sports.
  6. ^ "Super League: Huddersfield Giants 12-14 Wigan Warriors; Warrington Wolves 38-20 Leigh Leopards". Sky Sports.
  7. ^ "Super League: Bevan French and Toby King help Wigan Warriors see off Salford Red Devils 20-16 in thriller". Sky Sports.
  8. ^ "Super League: Wigan Warriors emerge 34-6 winners over Leigh Leopards in 'Battle of the Borough'". Sky Sports.
  9. ^ "Wigan Warriors 14-6 St Helens: Hosts seal Good Friday derby glory over Saints to go second in Super League". Sky Sports.
  10. ^ "Warrington Wolves 6-13 Wigan Warriors: Harry Smith stars as visitors hand hosts first loss in Super League in 2023". Sky Sports.
  11. ^ "Super League (Sky Sports)". SkySports.
  12. ^ "Hull FC 14-10 Wigan Warriors: Hosts battle past Super League leaders to make it back-to-back wins". Sky Sports.
  13. ^ "Wigan Warriors 18-40 Leeds Rhinos: Harry Newman inspires 12-player visitors to stunning win". Sky Sports.
  14. ^ "Hull KR 22-26 Wigan Warriors: Liam Farrell snatches golden-point glory for visitors in Super League thriller". Sky Sports.
  15. ^ "Wigan Warriors 22-46 Catalans Dragons: Tom Johnstone's hat-trick helps French side cruise to Magic Weekend win". Sky Sports.
  16. ^ "St Helens 34-16 Wigan Warriors: Jack Welsby stars to help Super League champions seal derby delight". Sky Sports.
  17. ^ "catalans-dragons-38-30-leigh-leopards-french-side-move-two-points-clear-at-top-of-super-league-table-with". Sky Sports.
  18. ^ https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/live-blog/12196/12912506/super-league-leigh-leopards-vs-hull-kingston-rovers-live
  19. ^ https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/castleford-vs-leigh/58357
  20. ^ https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/salford-vs-leigh/report/58366
  21. ^ https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/wigan-vs-leigh/58370
  22. ^ https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/leeds-vs-leigh/58378
  23. ^ https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/leigh-vs-wigan/58410
  24. ^ "Two Betfred Challenge Cup Ties to be shown live on the BBC". www.rugby-league.com.
  25. ^ "Leeds Rhinos v Wigan Warriors - Rugby League". BBC Sport.
  26. ^ "BBC confirm Challenge Cup quarter-finals coverage with details announced". LoveRugbyLeague. May 23, 2023.
  27. ^ "Challenge Cup semi-final draws made with venues to be confirmed". 18 June 2023.
  28. ^ https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12204/12938425/challenge-cup-final-lachlan-lam-drop-goal-seals-dramatic-17-16-win-for-leigh-leopards-over-hull-kingston-rovers
  29. ^ "Leigh Leopards: Super League club changes name and signs 10 players". BBC Sport. 20 October 2022.
  30. ^ "Leigh Leopards new signing after handing Wigan Warriors man squad number for Super League 2023". 13 January 2023.
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