Wigan Warriors vs St Helens: Kick-off time, TV channel and predicted line-ups

St Helens vs Wigan is perhaps the biggest game in British rugby league especially this season with the two joint top of the league at present.

But as they meet in a Challenge Cup semi-final, the stakes are even higher as both look to secure a place in the final and boost their quest for silverware.

The Champions and cup holders St Helens have been rocked recently by the long term loss of Lewis Dodd to injury and were less than convincing against Salford last week. But as they pursue the treble in 2022 they’ll have to dust themselves down and prepare for a Wigan storm with the Warriors’ attack in red hot form at the moment.

Kick-off time and TV channel

The game is the second of the Challenge Cup triple header at Elland Road and will see one of St Helens and Wigan book a place in the final and kicks off at 14:30.

TV coverage starts at 14:00 on BBC One.

Predicted Line-ups

Wigan Warriors
The big call for Wigan is if Jai Field is ready to take centre stage in the biggest game of the season so far. Of course, should he be absent we will see Bevan French at fullback and one of Sam Halsall or Abbas Miski on the wing in his place. It’ll be interesting to see even if Field is fit whether Halsall remains on the bench as insurance or if Matty Peet wants to include more size amongst his interchanges to fight the strength of the St Helens pack.

23 Jai Field
1 Bevan French
4 Iain Thornley
2 Jake Bibby
5 Liam Marshall
6 Cade Cust
16 Harry Smith
8 Brad Singleton
28 Brad O’Neill
15 Kaide Ellis
12 Liam Farrell
13 John Bateman
14 Morgan Smithies
Substitutes
10 Patrick Mago
17 Oliver Partington
19 Ethan Havard
20 Liam Byrne

St Helens
St Helens suffered another blow last week losing Will Hopoate which again forces Kristian Woolf to rejig his spine but there is still a major if within this and that’s if Jonny Lomax is fit to play. Should he figure, he’ll be partnered in the halves by James Roby with Jack Welsby at one and Joey Lussick at nine. Without Lomax, things could be much tougher for Woolf to solve. This would likely see Welsby in the halves with Tommy Makinson at fullback whilst someone like Josh Simm comes onto the wing. Ben Davies is another option Woolf may turn to across his backline and a potential candidate in the halves. Woolf will also be sweating over Regan Grace who could make his return to the side.

1 Jack Welsby
2 Tommy Makinson
23 Konrad Hurrell
4 Mark Percival
5 Regan Grace
6 Jonny Lomax
9 James Roby
8 Alex Walmsley
14 Joey Lussick
10 Matty Lees
11 Sione Mata’utia
12 Joe Batchelor
13 Morgan Knowles
Substitutes
15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
16 Curtis Sironen
17 Agnatius Paasi
19 Jake Wingfield