Wigan Warriors v Leeds Rhinos latest team news as 2 near major milestones
Man of Steel Jake Connor is set to achieve a personal milestone when Leeds Rhinos visit Wigan Warriors this evening (Friday).
The 31-year-old scrum-half is one appearance away from 250 in Betfred Super League. His total so far includes 35 for Rhinos, plus 87 in two spells with Huddersfield Giants and 127 as a Hull FC player.
It could also be a memorable night for captain Ash Handley who needs two tries to reach 150 for his career and is four points short of 500 in Super League. Handley, who made his debut in 2014, has touched down 137 times for Leeds, six on loan/dual-registration with Featherstone Rovers and five times for England. His 496 points so far have all been in Rhinos colours.
Rhinos’ record-break run of five games with the same 17 players will come to an end at Wigan as centre Jack Bird misses out following knee surgery. His place in the 21-man squad has been taken by Harry Newman following three games on loan with Hull FC. Winger Riley Lumb, stand-off/full-back Fergus McCormack and forwards Presley Cassell and Tom Nicholson-Watton are in reserve.
The only change to Wigan’s squad following their Challenge Cup semi-final win against St Helens six days ago sees Ethan Harvard return from suspension in place of Liam Farrell.
Wigan Warriors: from Field, Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, H Smith, Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Ellis, Walters, Mago, Partington, Farrimond, Eseh, Forber, McDermott, Kerr, Mason, Hodkinson, Marsden.
Leeds Rhinos: from Miller, Sivo, Newman, Handley, Hall, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, O’Connor, Holroyd, Watkins, McDonnell, Palasia, Hankinson, Jenkins, C Smith, Cassell, Lumb, Levi, Nicholson-Watton, F McCormack.
Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan). Kick-off: Friday, 8pm.