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Friday night’s Super League playoff semi-final between Leigh Leopards and Wigan Warriors is expected to go ahead as planned, but only after it was overshadowed by a controversy that could only really happen in rugby league.
The events of last weekend should have been the springboard for a significant and positive six weeks for the sport, kickstarted by St Helens’ stunning victory over Leeds in the opening round of the playoffs. Saints won in dramatic circumstances, scoring the winning try after the full-time hooter had sounded and whetting the appetite not only for the run-in to Old Trafford but also this autumn’s Ashes series.
There are two semi-finals, one of which is genuinely unpredictable and one that could yield another huge upset. But as one rugby league historian once said, this great sport never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
So here we are again, on the eve of a big game, talking about owners not players. It is a recurring tale in rugby league; those in the boardrooms capturing the headlines rather than allowing the focus to be on the game itself. This time, it is the Leigh owner, Derek Beaumont, at the centre of the story, after Wigan claimed on Wednesday he threatened to pull his side from Friday’s local derby.
Beaumont’s alleged remark is based around ticket allocations; the Leigh owner publishing a 4,465-word statement that included suggestions of fan protests over their 4,800 tickets, far higher than the usual away allocation of 10% for a playoff tie.
There was no definitive confirmation in that statement of the game going ahead but the Guardian understands that the game is on. Thankfully, then, these two great rivals will compete in a game that has all the hallmarks of a classic.
Wigan are in pursuit of a third successive Super League title, while Leigh are in the semi-finals for the second time. They are buoyed by their remarkable 1-0 win at Wigan in February, their first at their local rivals since 1982. They head across the borough as underdogs, but with a chance of victory after finishing third.
“It’s been nice to see us tick boxes along the way as we have done every year,” their coach, Adrian Lam, said. “Finishing higher up the ladder certainly shows the trajectory we’re on as a club. The more of these games we play the better we’ll be.
“To be 80 minutes away from Old Trafford two years running as Leigh Leopards is an incredible story. We want to achieve things we’ve never done as a club. We had our first quarter-final win at home last week, which was one of those.”
This has historically been a one-sided fixture but Leigh have emerged as one of Super League’s most competitive sides in recent years. Champions of England only twice, in 1906 and 1982, reaching a first Grand Final would be an historic moment, but standing in their way are a Wigan side in no mood to let their grip slide.
Having won an unprecedented quadruple last year, Wigan have not quite hit the same heights throughout 2025. But they appear to be producing their best at the right time with a run of five straight wins in which they have conceded only 22 points. They may have finished second behind Hull KR, but the Warriors feel like the favourites again.
“I think what Leigh have done – they have transformed this into a special fixture,” Matt Peet, the Wigan coach, said. “It’s always had a rivalry that’s based on the geography of the two teams but when we’re meeting each other in semi-finals and highlight games of the season, it just adds to it. They’ve been a consistent competitive team but they’ve also consistently got better and better.”
Then to Saturday, where there is a compelling second semi-final for different reasons. Many expected this to be the league leaders, Hull KR, against Leeds but St Helens’ stunning late victory last Saturday means it is Paul Wellens’s side who travel to east Hull to try to halt the Robins’ hunt for an historic treble.
The Saints may be riding an emotional high but they will have to improve on what they produced not only last weekend, but throughout this year against Super League’s best sides.
In contrast, many expect Rovers to progress to a second straight Old Trafford finale with minimal fuss if they deliver their best form – though unlike Wigan they have stuttered somewhat of late as the finish line approaches.
Saints’ win last weekend – and what has happened off the field in recent days – shows that it is perhaps best to prepare for the unexpected.
