Wigan and Leeds will not only be playing for Super League glory at Old Trafford this Saturday – they’ll be playing with a unique and perhaps unknown sporting record on the line.
The Warriors and Leeds will meet for only the seventh time in a major final in the game’s 125-year history this weekend, with the first of those the John Player Trophy win for Wigan in 1983.
And since then, on the following five occasions from that initial success, the Warriors have won each and every one of those ties – meaning Leeds have never beaten Wigan in a major final.
The most recent of those was four years ago at Wembley, when the Warriors beat Leeds 28-18 in the final of the Challenge Cup. They have also won two other cup finals against Leeds at Wembley – in 1994 and 1995 – as well as the Premiership Final in 1995, and the inaugural Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford way back in 1998.
So, will it be seventh time lucky for Leeds, or seventh heaven for Wigan?
Leeds v Wigan record in major finals
1983 John Player Trophy (15-4, at Elland Road)
1994 Challenge Cup (26-16, at Wembley)
1995 Challenge Cup (30-10, at Wembley)
1995 Premiership Final (69-12, at Old Trafford)
1998 Super League Grand Final (10-4, at Old Trafford)
2011 Challenge Cup (28-18, at Wembley)
