Monday 27 July 2015 16:31, UK
Leeds coach Brian McDermott will give second-rower Stevie Ward until the last possible minute to prove his fitness for the Rhinos' Ladbrokes Challenge Cup semi-final against St Helens on Friday.
The forward has been out for four weeks with an ankle problem and is a major doubt for the trip to Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium. But, such is his importance to the team, that McDermott is willing to give him every chance of playing.
The 21-year-old Ward did not make the team that beat Castleford at Wembley last August but missed only one of Leeds' first 22 league and cup matches and was in such good form that he was called into England coach Steve McNamara's plans for the end-of-season Test series against New Zealand.
"He's 50-50 for this weekend," said McDermott. "It's more of a doubt than a positive. But, with the form he's been in and the type of player he is for us, I'm willing to give him until the 11th hour.
"We're not confident but we won't write him off just yet."
With or without Ward, McDermott will be able to field his strongest line-up for several weeks as the Cup holders seek to book a fourth trip to Wembley in the last five years.
Stand-off Liam Sutcliffe is out for the season with a serious knee injury but winger Tom Briscoe and second-rower Jamie Jones-Buchanan made their comebacks from lengthy lay-offs in Sunday's 36-22 win over Catalans Dragons.
Australian forward Mitch Achurch is due back from a wrist injury next month and centre Joel Moon will face St Helens after sitting out the game against the Dragons as a precaution.
“He needed that rest," McDermott said. "He's had an Achilles issue for a number of weeks.
"We're not far off (being full strength). We'll have team selection issues this week, which is good to have."
England international Briscoe marked his return from a four-month lay-off following shoulder surgery with a hat-trick of tries against the Catalans but says he was more delighted to come through the game injury-free.
"I've been doing some rehab with the physios this morning and it feels great," Briscoe said. "It was great first of all to come through unscathed and also to get the first game out of the way.
"The tries were nice but it was more important for me to get through that game and know personally that the shoulder is good to go."
