Jonny Lomax remains in contention for Saturday’s Challenge Cup semi-final after being named in the 21-man St Helens squad to take on Wigan Warriors.
The England halfback suffered a bicep injury in Saints’ victory over Salford Red Devils last weekend, but is being given as much time as possible this week to prove his fitness and has been selected in Kristian Woolf’s squad.
Regan Grace is also included as the winger aims to make only a second appearance of the season following a hamstring injury.
Jake Wingfield could return from a shoulder injury, coming back into the squad alongside Curtis Sironen (following suspension) in place of Sam Royle, Daniel Hill and Jumah Sambou.
But Will Hopoate misses out with his latest hamstring issue, joining Lewis Dodd (Achilles), Jon Bennison (face) and James Bell (suspended) on the sidelines.
Wigan have only named a 20-man squad, with Willie Isa dropping out altogether having been unused in the past three weeks.
It is otherwise the same selection that head coach Matt Peet had at his disposal for last Friday’s win over Warrington Wolves.
Thomas Leuluai (knee) and Kai Pearce-Paul (leg) remain sidelined by injury, while Sam Powell continues to serve a suspension.
Squads
Wigan: 1 Bevan French, 2 Jake Bibby, 4 Iain Thornley, 5 Liam Marshall, 6 Cade Cust, 8 Brad Singleton, 10 Patrick Mago, 12 Liam Farrell, 13 John Bateman, 14 Morgan Smithies, 15 Kaide Ellis, 16 Harry Smith, 17 Oliver Partington, 19 Ethan Havard, 20 Liam Byrne, 22 Joe Shorrocks, 23 Jai Field, 24 Abbas Miski, 25 Sam Halsall, 28 Brad O’Neill.
St Helens: 1 Jack Welsby. 2 Tommy Makinson, 4 Mark Percival, 5 Regan Grace, 6 Jonny Lomax, 8 Alex Walmsley, 9 James Roby, 10 Matty Lees, 11 Sione Mata’utia, 12 Joe Batchelor, 13 Morgan Knowles, 14 Joey Lussick, 15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 16 Curtis Sironen, 17 Agnatius Paasi, 18 Kyle Amor, 19 Jake Wingfield, 21 Josh Simm, 22 Ben Davies, 23 Konrad Hurrell, 24 Dan Norman.
Stats
This will be the 28th time (including replays) that the old rivals face each other in the Challenge Cup, though only the third time at the semi-final stage and the first in a decade.
Previous Challenge Cup meetings:
2012 (Quarter Final) Wigan 18 St Helens 4
2011 (Semi-Final) St Helens 12 Wigan 18 (at Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington)
2005 (Quarter Final) St Helens 75 Wigan 0
2004 (FINAL) St Helens 32 Wigan 16 (at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)
2002 (FINAL) St Helens 12 Wigan 21 (at Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
2001 (Round 4) St Helens 22 Wigan 8
1998 (Quarter Final) Wigan 22 St Helens 10
1997 (Round 4) St Helens 26 Wigan 12
1995 (Round 4, Replay) St Helens 24 Wigan 40
1995 (Round 4) Wigan 16 St Helens 16
1993 (Round 2) Wigan 23 St Helens 3
1992 (Quarter Final) St Helens 6 Wigan 13
1991 (FINAL) St Helens 8 Wigan 13 (at Wembley Stadium)
1990 (Semi-Final) St Helens 14 Wigan 20 (at Old Trafford, Manchester)
1989 (FINAL) St Helens 0 Wigan 27 (at Wembley Stadium)
1986 (Round 2) Wigan 24 St Helens 14
1984 (Quarter Final) St Helens 7 Wigan 16
1982 (Round 1) St Helens 12 Wigan 20
1977 (Round 2) Wigan 4 St Helens 9
1973 (Round 2) Wigan 15 St Helens 2
1966 (FINAL) St Helens 21 Wigan 2 (at Wembley Stadium)
1965 (Round 2) Wigan 7 St Helens 2
1961 (FINAL) St Helens 12 Wigan 6 (at Wembley Stadium)
1930 (Semi-Final, Replay) St Helens 22 Wigan 10 (at Mather Lane, Leigh)
1930 (Semi-Final) St Helens 5 Wigan 5 (at Station Road, Swinton)
1929 (Quarter Final, Replay) Wigan 25 St Helens 5
1929 (Quarter Final) St Helens 2 Wigan 2
1897 (Round 3) St Helens 11 Wigan 0