Rangi Chase is one of several new faces that will make their debut for Leigh Centurions next Sunday, after they named their squad for the club’s opening pre-season friendly against Wigan.
Chase, Cory Paterson, Dayne Weston, Willie Tonga and Reni Maitua are all expected to feature in a Leigh side for the first time, whilst newly appointed skipper Micky Higham will proudly lead out his hometown club against one of his former clubs.
Ryan Brierley and Jake Emmitt are joined by French international centre Mathias Pala on the injured list, and new signing Harrison Hansen is ruled out of a reunion with his old Wigan colleagues by a suspension carried over from last season.
Speaking from Lanzarote where his players have been spending the week in an intense pre-season training camp, Leigh coach Paul Rowley said: “I am really looking forward to some Rugby League.
“We have had a good camp in Lanzarote where I have been able to get to grips with the significant changes in personnel from the off season and get to work with them. I am delighted that Wigan are sending a strong team as we have no reserves this season so I only have a small squad to use in warm up games.
“The team they are sending will really challenge the boys and it will be interesting for me to see how we fall back into our structures and processes when we are under pressure and fatigued. I am really looking forward to reacquainting myself in a local derby.”
Leigh Centurions squad
Gregg McNally; Adam Higson; Greg Worthington; Willie Tonga; Liam Kay; Martyn Ridyard; Fuifui Moimoi; Bob Beswick; Dayne Weston; Gareth Hock; Cory Paterson; Micky Higham; Jonny Pownall; Reni Maitua; Jamie Acton; Tom Spencer; Lewis Foster; Sam Hopkins; Andrew Dixon; Rangi Chase; Tom Armstrong; Eze Harper.
Meanwhile, Wigan have also named their squad for the game – with seven of last year’s Grand Final side set to feature for the Warriors.
Wigan Warriors 20-man Squad
Joe Bretherton, Josh Charnley, Tony Clubb, Macauley Davies, Ben Flower, Josh Ganson, Anthony Gelling, Oliver Gildart, Nick Gregson, Dom Manfredi, Lee Mossop, Liam Paisley, Sam Powell, Kyle Shelford, Ryan Sutton, Taulima Tautai, Lewis Tierney, Joel Tomkins, Luke Waterworth, Jack Wells
