Big Zak Hardaker decision made

It’s Easter and thus it is rivals round.

After the drama of Good Friday, for the second time this season Leigh Leopards battle with Salford Red Devils in one of six games shown live on Sky Sports.

Both sides come into the game after defeats.

Leigh lost the Battle of the Borough 34-6 to Wigan Warriors despite leading 6-0 early on.

Perhaps the loss of O’Brien was key and it could be again this week.

Salford meanwhile came up short against Ian Watson’s Huddersfield.

Salford won the early meeting between the two in Round One edging a closely fought battle at the Leigh Sports Village.

As the Leopards look to reverse that result today, Adrian Lam has had a major question to answer after losing Gareth O’Brien to a failed Head Injury Assessment last week when he was hit late by Jake Wardle when creating Tom Briscoe’s opening try.

Wardle was shown a yellow but it ended O’Brien’s night and ruled him out of today’s game and sees Zak Hardaker move from the centres to fullback with Ed Chamberlain coming into the centres alongside Ricky Leutele.

It is a big decision to move Hardaker given how well he has been playing at centre scoring a crucial try there in the famous win over St Helens.

Ben Reynolds and Lachlan Lam is the halfback pairing again with star Edwin Ipape kept at nine.

As for Salford, they still have Matt Costello at centre with Tim Lafai absent.

The big news though is the return of Andy Ackers who comes straight into the side with Chris Atkin on the bench.