There are some rivalries you don’t need to sell, or hype to the heavens, and St. Helen’s v Wigan is one of them.
Neither currently occupy the top two places in Super League, but that won’t prevent the usual intensity of the rivalry when the two giants of rugby league meet on Friday night.
Wigan are currently in third place – two points behind Warrington Wolves and the leaders Catalan Dragons – while Saints are a bit off the pace in sixth.
But this is a scrap for top dog status in the North-West that’s been going on since 1895, so it maybe pays to take the long view rather than obsess over current form.
The last time the sides met was on Good Friday at the start of April, when Wigan triumphed at the DW Stadium, 14-6, thanks to tries from Harry Smith, who also kicked three goals, and Toby King.
Yet, there are signs the Warriors have slipped a notch since then, certainly on the evidence of their 46-22 defeat to Catalan over the Magic Weekend in Newcastle.
Saints, however, are maybe doing what defending champions are supposed to do – hit their best form when it really matters at the business end of the season. Their 48-6 thrashing of Huddersfield Giants moved Saints into the play-off places.
Wigan captain Liam Farrell says: “For me, one thing Saints have done well over the past two or three years, where they’ve been really successful, is they challenge you physically with the ball and without it.
“We’ve got to match that and be better and if we can do that then we can give ourselves a chance.”
Level on points with Wigan, and in fourth only in fourth place on points difference are Leigh Leopards, who host ninth-placed Hull FC on Friday.
Leigh are on a seven-match winning streak and will fancy their chances of making it eight as they showed their formidable staying power in overcoming Wakefield 30-4 last time out, even though they played with only 12 men from the 27th minute onwards after the sending off of Ben Reynolds.
Hull, though, are also walking with a swagger after they beat Warrington 30-18 at the Magic Weekend with a hat-trick of tries for Josh Griffin.
In the other game, Castleford Tigers host Salford Red Devils, as 11th welcomes fifth.
Cas managed a surprise win over Leeds in Newcastle last weekend, while Salford were also winners over Hull KR.
Down Under in the NRL, rugby league provides early morning entertainment for us in the UK when Canberra Raiders meet New Zealand Warriors and Manly Sea Eagles take on the Dolphins.
The Raiders are in sixth place with the Warriors just below them, while Manly are 11th and the Dolphins in eighth.
The Raiders will be tipped to overcome the Warriors as the capital club have won seven of their last eight matches. But the Warriors have won at Bruce Stadium three times in the last five years.
The newbie Dolphins have never played in Sydney before, but they will not feel it’s’ beyond them after seven victories so far in their NRL debut season.
Ends
There are some rivalries you don’t need to sell, or hype to the heavens, and St. Helen’s v Wigan is one of them.
Neither currently occupy the top two places in Super League, but that won’t prevent the usual intensity of the rivalry when the two giants of rugby league meet on Friday night.
Wigan are currently in third place – two points behind Warrington Wolves and the leaders Catalan Dragons – while Saints are a bit off the pace in sixth.
But this is a scrap for top dog status in the North-West that’s been going on since 1895, so it maybe pays to take the long view rather than obsess over current form.
The last time the sides met was on Good Friday at the start of April, when Wigan triumphed at the DW Stadium, 14-6, thanks to tries from Harry Smith, who also kicked three goals, and Toby King.
Yet, there are signs the Warriors have slipped a notch since then, certainly on the evidence of their 46-22 defeat to Catalan over the Magic Weekend in Newcastle.
Saints, however, are maybe doing what defending champions are supposed to do – hit their best form when it really matters at the business end of the season. Their 48-6 thrashing of Huddersfield Giants moved Saints into the play-off places.
Wigan captain Liam Farrell says: “For me, one thing Saints have done well over the past two or three years, where they’ve been really successful, is they challenge you physically with the ball and without it.
“We’ve got to match that and be better and if we can do that then we can give ourselves a chance.”
Level on points with Wigan, and in fourth only in fourth place on points difference are Leigh Leopards, who host ninth-placed Hull FC on Friday.
Leigh are on a seven-match winning streak and will fancy their chances of making it eight as they showed their formidable staying power in overcoming Wakefield 30-4 last time out, even though they played with only 12 men from the 27th minute onwards after the sending off of Ben Reynolds.
Hull, though, are also walking with a swagger after they beat Warrington 30-18 at the Magic Weekend with a hat-trick of tries for Josh Griffin.
In the other game, Castleford Tigers host Salford Red Devils, as 11th welcomes fifth.
Cas managed a surprise win over Leeds in Newcastle last weekend, while Salford were also winners over Hull KR.
Down Under in the NRL, rugby league provides early morning entertainment for us in the UK when Canberra Raiders meet New Zealand Warriors and Manly Sea Eagles take on the Dolphins.
The Raiders are in sixth place with the Warriors just below them, while Manly are 11th and the Dolphins in eighth.
The Raiders will be tipped to overcome the Warriors as the capital club have won seven of their last eight matches. But the Warriors have won at Bruce Stadium three times in the last five years.
The newbie Dolphins have never played in Sydney before, but they will not feel it’s’ beyond them after seven victories so far in their NRL debut season.
