St Helens v Wigan will be fascinating, says Barrie McDermott
Thursday 11 June 2015 15:08, UK
St Helens face Wigan live on Sky Sports this weekend in one of Super League's biggest derbies, and pundit Barrie McDermott has described it as a "fascinating encounter".
Wigan beat Saints 12-4 in April, the first time the two sides met after the Grand Final last year, and McDermott is expecting a similarly close meeting between the two at Langtree Park on Friday night.
He says even those outside the two clubs will appreciate the occasion.
"It means a lot in the changing room, but I don't necessarily think you had to have played for either of these teams to know just how much passion there is involved in one knocking the other off," McDermott told Sky Sports News HQ.
"You look at the two coaches... Kieron Cunningham spent his entire career as a St Helens player, he's now the head coach of the club. He walks past a statue of himself every day.
"And Shaun Wane, if you cut him open he'd be cherry and white all the way through.
"It's in the tapestry of the game, the Wigan-Saints derby.
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"The form of both clubs has been a little bit different to most years, because Wigan are renowned for strong defence but this year it's St Helens who lead the tables and the charts for the best defence in the league.
"It's a fascinating encounter. Defensively, more than attacking, I think will be the determining factor in who wins this game.
"Some fantastic players, some fabulous rugby played between the both teams, but it's defensively I think where St Helens just pip it in 2015."
St Helens are second overall in defence this year so far, with only Huddersfield letting in fewer points in the first 17 rounds of Super League. Meanwhile Wigan beat two of the top four teams in the last two rounds, with wins over the Giants and Leeds Rhinos.
For the former St Helens player, the style of play from the Warriors has determined their recent success.
"It seemed to me at the start of the year they tried to play a different style. Paul Deacon - the ex-Bradford and Wigan scrum-half - he's assistant coach there with Shaun Wane, and he'd introduced a different way of playing.
"Whether they've changed and reverted to Plan A, I'm not too sure, but they're certainly scoring some points."
If Wigan are to beat their rivals, then there are two players that McDermott feels will be key to the cause.
"John Bateman and Micky McIlorum - very tough, uncompromising players.
"A couple of weeks back in the Leeds-Wigan game at Magic Weekend, those two players were right at the front."
Watch St Helens v Wigan in Super League live on Sky Sports 3 HD on Friday from 7.30pm.
