Rugby league: Limoux 20 - 80 Wigan
Wigan produced a performance as expansive as their Pyrenean setting here in south-west France yesterday, with the teenagers Chris Melling, who scored 24 points, and Luke Robinson, who ran in a hat-trick, guiding them to a Challenge Cup quarter-final at home to Wakefield.
Wigan flew in from Blackpool only two hours before kick-off to face Limoux - aka The Grizzlies, whose five-man posse of New Zealanders had helped them to become only the fourth French side to reach this stage of the cup after beating Halifax and Gateshead.
The home fans put up a tremendous noise and lapped it up when Limoux went into an early 6-4 lead via their Kiwi centre Boycie Nelson's try.
But that was as good as it got for the locals once Melling, missing his university studies to make his full debut, scored in the ninth minute. With Robinson and Danny Orr stretching a heavy French pack, Wigan grabbed four more tries inside 10 minutes, two of them from the busy hooker Terry Newton.
By half-time they led 44-4 and soon after the restart Kevin Brown scored a delightful try and Robinson added his second score. Three figures looked on before Limoux's New Zealanders dug deep to lay on three tries in a late rally which had the trumpet player in the stand blowing merrily.
Wigan's coach Mike Gregory praised a "clinical" display rounded off by Robinson's weaving run to complete his hat-trick and a try from the ever-improving Gareth Hock. "I was pleased with the way they got on top and stuck with it," said Gregory.
Limoux: Espebenex; Zitter, Pau, Nelson, Almarcha; Filt, Murciz; Mackie, Leffort, Muliumu, Laurent, Feuniol, Baigaso. Substitutes: Grandjean, Burgot, Mespie, Biraugich.
Wigan: Radlinski; Melling, Aspinwall, Brown, Dallas; Orr, Robinson; Sculthorpe, Pongia, Newton, Hock, Wild, O'Loughlin. Substitutes: C Smith, M Smith, Tickle, O'Connor.
Referee: K Kirkpatrick (Warrington).