News now: Wigan Warriors star Bevan French has spoken on the ‘infectious’ feeling of winning and the reasons behind the club’s 2024 success…

Wigan Warriors star Bevan French has spoken on the ‘infectious’ feeling of winning and the reasons behind the club’s 2024 success.

 

French claimed Man of the Match honours in each of the World Club Challenge, Challenge Cup Final and Super League Grand Final as Wigan set about winning all four trophies on offer in their incredible 2024 campaign.

He’s now spoken on that winning feeling whilst also noting what it takes to make a winning culture, something that is certainly present at the Warriors’ Robin Park training ground given that Wigan have won the last six pieces of silverware available to them.

Assessing the 2024 campaign, French spoke on the Sportsman YouTube channel about when it finally hit him what he and his teammates achieved last season – labelling that feeling of winning as “infectious”.

The Wigan Warriors number six said: “That sort of thing doesn’t come around too often – winning all four trophies in a year – and we were encouraged to go and celebrate. We celebrated as a team for the first few days but the reflection of that came down about a month later when you have some quiet time and realise what we achieved.

“It was a big thing but things like that become infectious and it makes you want to do more great things moving forward.”

Wigan Warriors players pick out reasons for 2024 success

 

Lots of teams will be looking to Wigan now as the blueprint for success and whilst none will be able to replicate their squad given its immense talent and depth, they can try and implement a similar culture – something that French noted as being the key to such success.

He noted: “Away from the field the trust and care everyone has for each other, players and coaching staff. We’re all mates on the field but also off the field, it’s a great place to be. People want to be there at the club. It’s a great place to be.”

He also named four key members of the Wigan Warriors machine that make it “a great place to be and learn” as both a player and person, naming assistant coaches Sean O’Loughlin and Tommy Leuluai as well as senior leaders Liam Farrell and Willie Isa.

French said: “You learn a lot as a player because you have people who have been greats of the game like Sean O’Loughlin and Tommy Leuluai but then also players like (Liam) Farrell and Willie Isa. All that knowledge is passed down so it’s a great place to be and learn as a rugby league player and a person as well.”

Playing partner Harry Smith also highlighted the continuity at the club as a key measure of success, noting that the vast majority of the backs have been unchanged during Matt Peet’s three years in charge.

The England international said: “I think except for Adam Keighran this back line has played together for three years so we all know each other’s game and that is something we can take as a positive, I don’t see many teams doing that.”

Evidence of that hard-working culture came with a comment from Junior Nsemba who earned Super League Dream Team honours and won Young Player of the Year. Despite such accolades, the second-rower has no plans on getting carried away – something he iterated in a simple message that showcases the grind mentality at Wigan.

Nsemba stated: “Me personally, I’m going to keep playing my game. I had my breakthrough season through doing what I do, I’m not going to change the way I play because people are coming for me.”