Leigh coach dubs Wigan clash ‘must-win’ as bold St Helens derby link made

Leigh Leopards coach Adrian Lam admits their local derby with reigning champions Wigan this evening is ‘must-win’ for their hopes of gatecrashing Super League’s top two.

After defeat last weekend at Leeds Rhinos, the Leopards slipped to fourth and are now five points behind their local rivals.

Lam admits that defeat this evening would make it incredibly difficult for them to catch Matt Peet’s side and secure the obvious advantages that come with finishing in the top two for the play-offs.

But he urged his side to take full advantage of a fixture list that has eight home games in the last 11 after Leigh have spent the last six weeks on the road.

When asked if it was a must-win game, Lam said: “I try to play every week as it comes but in that regard, yeah it is.

“It’s in the back of my mind that this is a big game if as a club we want to climb that ladder and finish in a higher spot than we’ve ever finished before.

“But I’ll say the same thing the week after too. In the next five or six weeks, the top six play each other just about every week. You’ll see the table change every time. We’ve got to win those home games.”

Friday evening is the latest chapter in an enthralling rivalry between two sides situated within the same borough. It is one win apiece this year after Leigh’s incredible 1-0 win on the opening night in February, before Wigan responded with victory later in the season.

And Lam admits that he believes this game can generate just as big a rivalry as Wigan’s games with St Helens.

“I think it’s grown,” he said of the rivalry. “Our crowd at the Wigan home game first match of the season was the biggest crowd in Round One in Super League.

“It’s starting to show that this could be the real battle of the borough as opposed to Saints.

“Saints will always be that match against Wigan where there’s a lot of hatred and I don’t think that’ll change, but I feel what we’ve created and what we can create with both clubs in the same borough is great.”

FRIDAY’S READS ON LRL

👉🏻 Josh Papali’i St Helens switch takes dramatic twist with prop’s bold NRL claim

👉🏻 Kevin Sinfield reveals how he almost signed for Wigan Warriors

👉🏻 The clubs set for major IMG performance drops including relegation candidates

👉🏻 Every Super League fixture yet to be staged in 2025 amidst schedule chaos