Exiled Wiganer

Leeds had the air of a team which was always going to find a way to win. If they hadn't scored after the McGuire touch (where the ball went backwards in any event), they would have found another way to win. They spent the last 10 minutes easily keeping Saints at bay, and could have steppped up again if they had to. I am not sure how many Leeds have missing, but Webb and Burrow are pretty significant for them. They deserve to be feeling very confident, as they are clearly building nicely. Pryce and Eastmond getting injured during the game was unfortunate, but that is part of life. Eastmond is brittle and Pryce was on for nearly 3/4 of the game. If Saints fans are very confident, then good on them. Certainly they weren't disgraced. Unless Leeds suffer yet more injuries I can only see one winner in the semis, particularly as Leeds had the Saints pack exactly where they wanted them. Finally, 2 players who have impressed me recently are Roby and (please don't laugh) Bailey, who may well be maturing into a vey useful prop. Thanks to 2 teams for a very entertaining game. Wigan know that a win of any sort in France will leave us 6 points clear with games running out. That would be sweet indeed.

Tough result on Saints (subject to last minute craziness), but Saints can draw a great deal from this.

It was meant to be a jokey throw away comment. I don't mind whether things are blocked or go on forever. It tickled me that it was blocked. Anyway I will be devouring my copy of Open Rugby (as it will always be to me) the instant it reaches our corner of Surrey. It's a shame we need moderators at all, especially as we have the ignore option, or the Sam button as I think of it.

I am concerned that I will get halfway through an article in Rugby League World, get to the point at which Warrington are criticised only to find the rest of the magazine blank.

Crusaders won at Leeds, to whom Wire lost home and away. With home advantage, there's only one winner here. Wire.

Is that it, NE? Is that all you've got? Hardly worth taking you off "ignore". Leuluai is good. Bailey, Feca and Phelps are all on their way and wouldn't make our first 17. Hansen was English enough to play for England Academy.

This looks classic banana skin territory. V hot. Cats getting men on board. Wigan possibly without Lockers as go-to man again. Not confident at all. But, if Wigan do win, and Saints lose, I think we will certainly finish above them, so it's potentially a huge week end for the boys.

I think Leeds will win and win well. Saints put a great deal into the Wigan game and shipped over 30 at home against Salford. I think they can raise their game but their team is either too young or too old to do it week after week. Leeds have looked like a team that really knows itself in the last few weeks, Crusaders apart.

Are you Wendall in disguise? By my reckoning, Wigan are very likely to get rid of Bailey, Phelps, Piggy and Feca of the overseas players, and possibly Carmont as well, with Tommy, Amos and Richards the only certain overseas stayers. World Cup winner Tommy seems to be considered a good player by better judges than ParisS. As Hoffman is a second rower I would be surprised if we signed him, unless we see Mossop as a prop already (and with Hock to come back). Not sure where Quinn plays, but if he is a back, fair enough as we need 3/4 cover, even when we promote Charnley and Marsh.

Gleeson has been playing very well after his ticking off and being dropped, and would as ever do a good enough job for England. It wouldn't weaken the team at all.

Hull's was the best win of the year, which sounded excellent on the tv. Wigan are going ok, but results at this stage are very unreliable, given that the teams will have trained to be at their best at different times. A fast start was important to Wigan because of the enw coach and the difficulties of previous years, while Leeds may have hoped to coast through the first few games and peak for Melbourne.