Warriors v Rhinos: Teams

Hansen: Back earlier than expected from a shoulder injury

We travel to the league leaders this week and that is a great challenge for us but it is one that we are very much looking forward to

Brian McClennan
Quotes of the week

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
Wigan v Leeds
6.30pm, Sat, Sky Sports HD1, Sky Sports 1 and online with Sky Player
Click here to remote record

Related links

Teams

• Leeds Rhinos
• Wigan Warriors

Also see

• RL on Sky
• Live scores
• Experts
• Free Sky Player
• £5 Free Bet

The opening weekend of the engage Super League play-offs come to a close with a clash between the minor premiers and the reigning champions on Sunday evening.

Wigan will be looking to register a third league win in 2010 over Leeds, who only sealed their place in the top four with victory at Hull last Saturday.

The Warriors had no such concerns going into the final round of fixtures in the regular season, having already clinched the League Leaders' shield.

Michael Maguire's side received the trophy in front of their own fans after beating Bradford 34-12 - a match that saw winger Pat Richards equal the Super League scoring record.

Club Call

Now the Cherry and Whites know another triumph at the DW Stadium would make them eligible for 'Club Call', allowing them to pick their next opponents in the play-offs.

Leeds, though, will be no pushovers. The visitors can take great heart from the fact that four of Wigan's five regular-season losses were at home.

The Rhinos also defeated their opponents in the Carnegie Challenge Cup on their way to losing in the final against Warrington Wolves. However they bounced back from their Wembley disappointment with a hard-fought 18-14 triumph at the KC Stadium last time out to claim fourth place.

Coach Brian McClennan insists his squad are now ready for the challenge of playing Wigan - and insists previous results this year will count for nothing once the game kicks off.

Great challenge

"We travel to the league leaders this week and that is a great challenge for us but it is one that we are very much looking forward to," he told the club's website.

"I think the previous three games between us during the season will count for little come kick off on Sunday evening and, as with all semi-final football, it is the team that performs best on the day that will progress through."

Leeds are still without forwards Chris Clarkson and Jamie Jones-Buchanan, meaning centre Keith Senior, who was this week named in Super League's Dream Team, is likely to continue in the pack.

The only change in Wigan's squad is the inclusion of Harrison Hansen, who has made a quicker-than-expected recovery from a shoulder injury.

Wigan squad: Gleeson, Carmont, Richards, S. Tomkins, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Coley, Hansen, J. Tomkins, S. O'Loughlin, Prescott, McIlorum, Paleaaesina, Deacon, Goulding, Farrell, Marsh, Tuson.

Leeds squad: Webb, Donald, Delaney, Senior, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Buderus, Lauitiiti, Sinfield, Diskin, Eastwood, Bailey, Kirke, Ablett, Pitts, Ambler, Smith.

Click here for more betting