Wigan Warriors showed 'guts' in Leeds victory - Shaun Wane
Last updated on .From the section Rugby League
Wigan Warriors head coach Shaun Wane has praised the "guts" his side showed after their last-minute win over Leeds.
England scrum-half Matty Smith kicked a late penalty to beat the Super League leaders 26-24 at the DW Stadium.
Rhinos half-back Rob Burrow scored with three minutes to go to level the scores at 24-24, but Smith secured the two points with his 45-metre kick.
"Win or lose I wanted us to show some guts and determination and we did that," Wane told BBC Radio Manchester.
| Home comforts... | |
|---|---|
| Wigan have won all 10 of their Super League games at the DW Stadium so far in 2015 | |
| In contrast, the Warriors had an eight-game winless run away from home dating back to last season and they have won just three times on the road so far this term | |
"I thought the way we went about our business, especially in the first half, gave us a good foothold in the game.
"I'm really impressed with the way we dug in and showed some desire to defend our line."
Wane also revealed his disappointment to lose his assistant Paul Deacon, who will be joining Premiership rugby union side Sale Sharks as their new attack coach.
"He's a big loss to rugby league and the national game as well," added Wane.
"He asked my opinion, as me and him are good friends off the field.
"It was a tough decision for him to make - he's had a great time here and I'm really proud he's learnt his trade here."
Speaking for the first time since his cross-code coaching switch was announced, Deacon is excited about the challenge he will face.
"Steve Diamond felt I could add something to the way they play and that was very tempting for me," said the 36-year-old.
"I do feel I can take something from rugby league to union, obviously I need to learn how the game is played."
