Grand Final hopefuls Leeds Rhinos face 'huge game' v Wigan Warriors in Women's Super League

St Helens are two points clear of second-placed Leeds in Betfred Women’s Super League, with Wigan third on for and against. All Saints’ remaining games are against bottom-four teams so they have virtually secured the league leaders’ shield, leaving Leeds, Wigan and champions York Valkyrie - who are another two points behind - to battle for second place and a home semi-final.

Rhinos have scored eight fewer points than Wigan, but have a better defence by 10, giving them a slender points difference advantage of just two. “It’s going to be a huge game,” Rhinos forward Lucy Murray predicted of this week’s showdown at AMT Headingley.

“We haven’t done so well in the last few games and Wigan have shown they are more than capable of getting to the Grand Final. We could potentially have them in the semi-final, so it is a big game.”

Leeds, who visit Wigan in their final league game next month, won 34-20 when the sides met in the last four of the Challenge Cup in May, but Warriors led early in the second half and Murray admitted that was a warning. “We definitely made it hard for ourselves, but Wigan have come on leaps and bounds since then,” she said of the Denis Betts-coached visitors.

“They will definitely have learned a lot from that, just as we did. They will have gained confidence from the last few games, where they beat York and weren’t far off beating Saints.”

Leeds’ only defeats this year have been against Saints - home and away in the league and the Challenge Cup final at Wembley - and, despite Wigan’s rise, Murray reckons they are on course for a sixth successive decider. “We’ve got the group of girls to do that,” she insisted.

“We’ve had quite a few injuries this season and there’s been a few changes in the squad, but there’s no reason why we can’t get to the Grand Final and win it. It’s something we are working towards, we definitely aren’t writing it off.”

Rhinos’ Lois Forsell will go on maternity leave after Friday’s game, with Leon Crick stepping up to interim head-coach. Shona Hoyle is back in Rhinos’ squad, but Caitlin Beevers, Beth Lockwood, Sophie Nuttall, Shannon Lacey, Elychia Watson, Ruby Enright, Jasmine Cudjoe, Elle Frain and Beth Macmillan all remain on the injury list.

Leeds Rhinos women (v Wigan): from Robinson, Hardcastle, Butcher, Casey, Bennett, Northrop, Hoyle, Sykes, Dainton, Murray, Whitehead, Field, Glynn, Cousins, Greening, Donnelly, Brown, Bruce, Stead, Walker.

Kick-off: Friday, 7pm.