Sat 22 July : Betfred RL Challenge Cup Semi Final : St Helens v Leigh Leopards KO 14:30 BBC1

[Old Frightful]

Discuss the Betfred RL Challenge Cup Semi Final between St Helens and Leigh Leopards here.

[Josef K]

I think Leigh will win, because they’ll offer more than the Saints five drives and a kick. 
I would enjoy seeing a HKR/Leigh final as it would make a change from the usual sides winning it. But can’t see Rovers beating Wigan. 

[Jughead]

Dreading it. I really hate semi-finals, though. They’re horrible. 

Fascinating game, though. Leigh are in superb form and going into it having lost something like two of their last fourteen games and have some exciting players with pace in their side. There’s a little bit of this being Leigh’s best opportunity to get to a major final for decades because of how they’re travelling and how Saints are performing and given the potential out list being at five. 

As for Saints, it’s a funny one. This year has been a weird one. A trophy is already in the cabinet and we’re eighty minutes from Wembley but performances have been patchy, at best. Win this game and things look good going into the final nine or ten league games. Loose and I think some may begin asking questions of Paul Wellens and his tactics. There’s possibly five out for Saints on Saturday. Definitely out are Roby and Percival and question marks remain over Makinson, Ritson and Batchelor. If they’re out as well, it’s a tougher ask. 

 

[PEANUT HEAD]

Saints will still turn a good side out even with suspensions and injuries, but leigh have nothing to loose already surpassed expectations. 

[PEANUT HEAD]

1 hour ago, Josef K said:

I think Leigh will win, because they’ll offer more than the Saints five drives and a kick. 
I would enjoy seeing a HKR/Leigh final as it would make a change from the usual sides winning it. But can’t see Rovers beating Wigan. 

I think looking at the weather it may be 5 drives and a kick weather.

[Harry Stottle]

Rain expected to be torrential from 11.00am throughout the afternoon and game, great leveller could bring us down to Saints standard.

[The Blues Ox]

Fingers crossed for a Leigh win to shake things up a bit in a major final.

[spanishknight]

Saints by 2.

[Josef K]

1 hour ago, PEANUT HEAD said:

I think looking at the weather it may be 5 drives and a kick weather.

No matter what the weather it’s usually down the middle guff from Wellens, until the last few minutes and then we might throw it about. One thing about Saints is their lack of pace in the centres & wings, unless Ritson is back. 

[PEANUT HEAD]

3 minutes ago, Josef K said:

No matter what the weather it’s usually down the middle guff from Wellens, until the last few minutes and then we might throw it about. One thing about Saints is their lack of pace in the centres & wings, unless Ritson is back. 

I wouldn't say leigh are the fastest team it's all about making that overlap for us but can't see much throwing the ball about.

[graveyard johnny]

if Saints get dumped out against Leigh I think Wellens could be downloading the Uber APP

Edited July 19, 2023 by graveyard johnny

[Jughead]

14 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

if Saints get dumped out against Leigh I think Wellens could be waiting for his Uber before long

I suppose it depends on your stance, really.

Five of the seven defeats come within eight games of returning from Australia and Saints are currently eight wins from their last ten and I think maybe only Leigh and Catalans can boast similar records over that period and in a few days, we’re playing in a cup semi-final having already won a trophy this year and being in the top four going into the final nine or ten games of the year, of which many are against teams presently outside the top six.

Conversely, it’s two wins from the last four and the seven defeats have come against four of the five other sides currently in the top six, with four of those seven defeats against the three teams immediately above Saints in the table. Of those seven defeats, we’ve been well beaten in all of them and haven’t deserved to win many of those seven based on the balance of play in those games, so it’s not as though it’s a high standard of performance.

A defeat on Saturday will be disappointing (I’m not sure any defeat in a cup semi-final could be described as much else, if I’m honest) but it probably depends on your viewpoint whether it is disastrous or not. 

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Head must rule heart - Saints by 12.

[georgeb1]

for the good of the game , leyers for me

[Snowys Backside]

If Barry Ledger is playing, Saints by 6.

If Mark Elia is playing, Leigh by 1.

If its dry, Hurrell will have a torrid time. He will need to be an Octopus, but it looks like his look to the God's have come true. 

I can see a red card in this game unfortunately

[Harry Stottle]

Can you all please keep your opinions to yourself, presently only 35% saying Saints will win whilst 65% of you so called experts are tipping Leigh, nowt no surer than Leigh lose then!

[Padge]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

Can you all please keep your opinions to yourself, presently only 35% saying Saints will win whilst 65% of you so called experts are tipping Leigh, nowt no surer than Leigh lose then!

That's the heart vote.

The head vote would show the opposite.

[ELBOWSEYE]

Just a point,it's lose not loose.

Tight game hope Leigh win but can't call it.

[sam4731]

6 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

Fingers crossed for a Leigh win to shake things up a bit in a major final.

I don't understand this logic. Maybe the GF is different but we've had 10 different finalists and 6 different winners in the past 8 years in the CC.

[Chris22]

If you would have said we had been playing Leigh at the start of the season in a Challenge Cup semi final, I'd have been delighted and extremely confident. I'm still delighted we're in the semi final but this is game which is really tough to call.

Wellens has played his cards close to his chest regarding the potential returns of Makinson, Ritson, Sironen and Batchelor. I also am not too keen on the rumour that Matty Lees has broken his hand! 

A few days out from the match and I have no idea what our line up will be aside that Roby and Percival won't be in it. If a winger returns, Hopoate will move to centre, if not Ben Davies or Sione Mata'utai will have to cover, that decision will depend on the fitness of Sironen or Batchelor. Lussick has done well recently but I do worry slightly about him doing the full 80 as Wellens has used his sparingly.

Our defence is the best in the competition and will have to be on its game against Leigh. The forecasted rain may do us a favour and may make it a tighter game, which suits us.  Our attack has been far weaker this year and we'll have to up our game.

Probably too close to call but looking at the squad announcement with interest!

Edited July 19, 2023 by Chris22

[THE RED ROOSTER]

Has to be Leigh, what everyone seems to forget is to quote ex-NFL coach Bill Parcells, you are what your record says you are and Leigh are above St Helens in the table, and with Saints with players out I am looking forward to the moaning on this forum come Saturday evening..

[meast]

Leigh are going to win something this year aren't they?

Unless they have a real big bubble burst, they don't seem to be beatable.

Unbelievably I can't see the world champions beating them.

[Harry Stottle]

12 hours ago, Padge said:

That's the heart vote.

The head vote would show the opposite.

Hi Padge,

Is that based on this season or by historical value?

[FearTheVee]

Saints will be desperate to get Roby to Wembley and whilst Robes and Percy are big misses my gut feel is that at least a couple of the rumoured absentees (Batch, Siro, Tommy, Lees) will play.

I think Saints will play the conditions better and win the game.

Edited July 20, 2023 by FearTheVee

[Saint Toppy]

3 minutes ago, FearTheVee said:

I think Saints will play the conditions better and win the game.

Ironically the way Saints are playing this year wet weather suits them better. They lack ideas in attack but they're pretty good a pinning teams down near their own line and defending