Match Preview: Leigh Leopards (A)

St Helens are heading to the Leigh Sports Village on Friday night to take on local Super League neighbours Leigh Leopards! Kick-off is scheduled for 8pm.

TICKET INFORMATION

Over 2,000 Saints supporters are heading to Leigh to cheer on Paul Wellens’ men!

We have sold out our initial allocation of tickets which are all located in the South Stand. Our final additional tickets are available in the East Stand at the Leigh Sports Village. Tickets can be purchased online here now, via the Ticket Office at the Totally Wicked Stadium or over the phone on 01744 455052.

(Adult – £27, Concession (65+) – £24, 18-21 – £15, 12-17 – £10, 5-11 – £5, Junior Members – £5)

If there are no further tickets displayed on our ticket website, this will mean that we do not have any further tickets available direct from St Helens.

Tickets will be come off sale at: 12pm on Friday, 10th March – at this point Ticket Collections will be no longer available at the Saints’ Ticket Office, with tickets not yet collected to be made available at Leigh Sports Village’s Ticket Office on match night.

LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK AT LEIGH

The Saints have had a great start to the 2023 season with the World Club Challenge trophy secured in a history making moment, then just over a week later we got our league campaign started with an away day win at Castleford. Five days after the Red V’s Super League opener came our home opener, a fiery game against Leeds Rhinos which finished in dramatic and controversial fashion. With St Helens down to 12 men the Headingley side got their first win of the year at the third attempt in Round 3 over Saints, 24-25.

In recent years Saints have been incredibly consistent, so the defeat stung but gives extra motivation to the Champions as they look to get some early season form in the drive for a fifth straight title.

WELLENS PREVIEWS FACING THE LEOPARDS

In a typically honest assessment from the Saints boss, Paul Wellens gave his verdict on the loss to Leeds and how the team will look for improvements in areas this week such as discipline.

Whilst some may have talked down last year’s Championship winners, Wellens is well aware of the challenge they pose and how keen they will be to test themselves against the Super League and World Club Champions.

Subscribers to Saints TV can watch Wellens’ full preview!

THE OPPOSITION 

The Leopards, formerly Centurions, are riding high being back in the top flight and getting their first victory of the campaign last Friday night away at Hull KR.

Leigh were fantastic last season in their run towards promotion, including a win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the 1895 Cup final, and have built a squad which appears stronger and more likely to survive in Super League on their fourth appearance in the competition.

Former Wigan boss Adrian Lam has bolstered his squad this year with a lot of experience with players such as; Zak Hardaker, Ricky Leutele, Oliver Holmes, Gareth O’Brien and Jack Hughes.

Beyond the game itself, the Leopards are to be commended for putting in a lot of effort into their match day entertainment and experience, with band Scouting For Girls performing at their opening fixture, and on Friday night ahead of the game ’80s/’90s pop artist T’Pau will be performing!

SQUAD NEWS

The Red V are boosted by the return of influential captain James Roby and powerful prop forward Agnatius Paasi. However, St Helens will be without Sione Mata’utia, Curtis Sironen, and Konrad Hurrell due to the match suspensions they picked up in the Leeds fixture.

Stepping into the squad declaration for the first time this season is outside back Wesley Bruines who joined the Saints in the off-season, was given squad number #34, and has been working hard in pre-season. At the weekend he featured for our Reserves against Newcastle Thunder and scored a hat-trick in a dominating victory 72-4.

St Helens 21-man squad

1. Jack Welsby, 2. Tommy Makinson, 4. Mark Percival, 5. Jon Bennison, 6. Jonny Lomax, 7. Lewis Dodd, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. James Roby, 10. Matty Lees, 13. Morgan Knowles, 14. Joey Lussick, 15. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 17. Agnatius Paasi, 18. Jake Wingfield, 19. James Bell, 20. Dan Norman, 21. Ben Davies ,22. Sam Royle, 24. Lewis Baxter, 25. Tee Ritson, 34. Wesley Bruines

Leigh Leopards 21-man squad

1. Zak Hardaker, 2. Tom Briscoe, 3. Ed Chamberlain, 4. Ricky Leutele, 5. Josh Charnley, 6. Joe Mellor, 7. Lachlan Lam, 8. Tom Amone, 9. Edwin Ipape, 10. Robbie Mulhern, 11. Joe Wardle, 12. Jack Hughes, 13. John Asiata, 14. Ben Nakubuwai, 17. Gareth O’Brien, 18. Matt Davis, 22. Jacob Gannon, 23. Tom Nisbet, 24. Kai O’Donnell, 27. Ava Seumanufagai, 28. Joe Shorrocks

RECENT RECORD AGAINST LEIGH

Last ten meetings:

St Helens 42, Leigh 12 (SLR21, 26/8/21)
Leigh 12, St Helens 22 (SLR5, 30/4/21)
St Helens 28, Leigh 6 (SLR12, 28/4/17)
Leigh 24, St Helens 16 (SLR2, 24/2/17)
Leigh 4, St Helens 78 (SLR26, 4/9/05) (at Hilton Park)
Leigh 20, St Helens 27 (SLR22, 22/7/05) (at Hilton Park)
St Helens 60, Leigh 16 (SLR9, 8/4/05) (at Knowsley Road)
Leigh 21, St Helens 4 (SBC, 23/1/94) (at Hilton Park)
St Helens 34, Leigh 16 (SBC, 19/9/93) (at Knowsley Road)
St Helens 64, Leigh 9 (SBC, 6/1/93) (at Knowsley Road)

Super League summary

Saints and Leigh have faced each other in Europe’s top rugby league competition on just seven occasions. Friday night’s home side have won just one of those games, whilst our Saints have won six.

The highest winning Saints score against Leigh (and also the widest margin) came back in 2005 at their former home, Hilton Park, in a demolition 4-78.

LMS: 450 NOT OUT

Our Londoner could make his 450th career appearance on Friday night. The veteran-prop has always been a popular member of the squad since joining from the 2011 season, with his passion always on show. In his time with the club he has won five Super League titles, four League Leaders’ Shields and one Challenge Cup so far.

With over 400 Super League games under his belt, his 350th Saints appearance is fast approaching – but should he take to the field against the Leopards he will reach 450 games across his career. A brilliant achievement!

(347 for St Helens – 2011-2023, 97 for Harlequins – 2006-2010, 3 for Ireland – 2017, 2 for England 2008-2009)

DAVIES DETERMINED TO MAKE MOST OF ANY OPPORTUNITY

Young Saint Ben Davies has yet to feature in the opening two round of our league season but is ready and raring to go if selected on Friday night.

Adapt at playing in various positions, whether it’s half, back-row or centre – he’s happy to play anywhere for St Helens.

You can watch the full player preview with Ben as a Saints TV subscriber!

WHO WILL BE THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE?

Aaron Moore will be the referee for Friday night’s fixture, and he will be supported by Touch Judges L. Rush and C. Worsley, plus In Goal Officials G.Jones and A. Billington.

WHAT KIT WILL SAINTS BE WEARING?

As an away fixture St Helens will be wearing our 2023 Away Kit for the first time since it’s debut outing in Australia against St George Illawarra Dragons!

In our milestone 150th year, the Saints’ strip is in our club’s traditional colours of sky blue and navy, with a classic deep V design along with some finer details, including our 150 year crest.

Pick yours up online by visiting saintssuperstore.com.

HOW CAN I FOLLOW THE GAME?

The game between Saints and Leigh is NOT on television for broadcast.

The Club will be covering the match in full across our live Match Centre, where you can find out the team news, follow live game updates and catch up on the major stories of the game.

Our club social media accounts will also keep supporters updated. Follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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