Wigan Warriors and St Helens will play out the latest chapter of their fierce local derby as they clash at Elland Road on Saturday, with the prize of a place in the 2022 Betfred Challenge Cup Final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the line.
It's a first semi-final since 2017 for Wigan, a year where they lost out to Hull FC. Meanwhile St Helens are the current Cup holders having won the Cup last year against Castleford at Wembley, their first Cup win since 2008.
This clash pits two of the most successful clubs in Challenge Cup history together with Saints having won it 13 times, while Wigan have enjoyed success in the competition on a record 19 occasions - their last win back in 2013.
In 2022, St Helens have been the standard-bearers so far as they sit top of the Super League table with just two league defeats to their name from 11 games and the league's best points difference by a distance.
Their journey to the final four in the Challenge Cup saw them win 46-4 at Championship Whitehaven in March, before they caught the eye with a hard-fought 36-20 win away at Catalans in the Quarter-Finals.
But Wigan have been similarly impressive so far this season and are level on points with Saints in the league this year, sitting second only due to their inferior points difference.
Wigan kicked off their 2022 Betfred Challenge Cup campaign with an impressive 20-0 shutout of Salford back in March, before last month's entertaining 36-6 defeat of Wakefield Trinity, a win on the road at the Quarter-Final stage.
Coach's Comments:
Matt Peet (Wigan Warriors)
"It's an exciting time of year. The Challenge Cup is a competition we hold in high esteem at the club, it steps up in importance and intensity each round and we can't wait to take on St Helens this weekend." - Watch full interview here.
Kristian Woolf (St Helens)
"It's a great occasion, you do all the hard work to play in these sorts of games. We're very excited for it - it would mean plenty to win the Cup and we really want to give ourselves that opportunity again this year." - Watch full interview here.
Player's Thoughts:
Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors)
"Saints are a champion team and we know what we're up against, but it's really exciting to be involved in a semi-final again with a chance to make a final. It's a tough task in front of us but it's one we're all looking forward to." - Watch full interview here.
Morgan Knowles (St Helens)
"It doesn't get much bigger. We're expecting the best of wigan - I think they're the form team at the moment with plenty of dangerous players and we'll have to give our best to win." - Watch full interview here.
Squads:
Wigan Warriors: Bevan French, Jake Bibby, Iain Thornley, Liam Marshall, Cade Cust, Brad Singleton, Patrick Mago, Liam Farrell, John Bateman, Morgan Smithies, Kaide Ellis, Harry Smith, Oliver Partington, Ethan Havard, Liam Byrne, Joe Shorrocks, Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Sam Halsall, Brad O’Neill
St Helens: Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Mark Percival, Regan Grace, Jonny Lomax, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Matty Lees, Sione Mata’utia, Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles, Joey Lussick, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Curtis Sironen, Agnatius Paasi, Kyle Amor, Jake Wingfield, Josh Simm, Ben Davies, Konrad Hurrell, Dan Norman.
Tickets are still available for this weekend’s Betfred Challenge Cup Women's and Men's triple-header at Elland Road. Get yours here!
