SL Preview: St Helens v Leeds
Luke Walsh is included in the St Helens squad, and could be in line for his first start of the 2015 season.
Josh Jones is the only new addition to the Saints squad, with the utility player coming in for Matt Dawson, who is absent with an ankle injury.
Kallum Watkins returns to Brian McDermott’s Leeds squad, after missing the win over Salford with illness.
Jimmy Keinhorst is also included for the first time this season.
Prediction: Leeds to win by four points.
St Helens (19-man squad): Makinson, Turner, Jones, Swift, Burns, Walsh, Masoe, Roby, Amor, Wilkin, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Walmsley, Flanagan, Thompson, Richards, Savelio, Ashworth, Davies, Fleming.
Leeds Rhinos (19-man squad): Hardaker, Watkins, Moon, McGuire, Burrow, Aiton, Peacock, Ablett, Sinfield, Ward, Delaney, Achurch, Cuthbertson, Sutcliffe, Singleton, Keinhorst, Yates, Golding, Handley.
Stats:
Leeds’ Kevin Sinfield has scored points in 19 consecutive games against St Helens, a streak which started in the 2008 Super League Grand Final. He last failed to score in the 2008 Qualifying Semi-Final at Knowsley Road, where he missed his one goal attempt in a 38-10 defeat.
Rob Burrow needs one appearance to reach 450 for his career. Burrow has played 418 games for Leeds since 2001, to go with representative appearances for Great Britain (5 Tests, 2005 & 2007), England (15 games, 2004, 2008 & 2012-2013), England ‘A’ (7 games, 2002-2003), England under-21s (2 games, 2001) and Yorkshire (2 games, 2002-2003).
Jon Wilkin needs three tries to reach a career century of touchdowns. His total of 97 has been scored as follows: 8 for Hull KR (2000-2002), 88 for St Helens (2003-2015) and 1 for England (2004-2005, 2008-2009 & 2011-2012). Wilkin also made 6 non-scoring appearances for Great Britain (2006-2007).
Danny McGuire needs three tries to reach 250 for Leeds. McGuire’s total of 247 touchdowns has been reached in 356 games for the Rhinos since 2001. He has also landed five field goals for Leeds, leaving him seven points short of a total 1,000 for the club.
Leeds have won their last five matches. Their last defeat was 18-6 at Warrington on 13 March.
Super League summary:
St Helens won 30 (includes wins in 1999, 2001, 2007 and 2008 play-offs)
Leeds won 25 (includes wins in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 Grand Finals; 1998, 2005 and 2013 play-offs)
St Helens highest score: 62-18 (H, 1999) (Widest margin: 56-10, H, 2004)
Leeds highest score: 74-16 (H, 2001) (Widest margin: 70-0, H, 2004)
Last 10 meetings:
Leeds 12, St Helens 13 (SLR25, 29/8/14)
Leeds 32, St Helens 12 (CCR5, 26/4/14)
St Helens 14, Leeds 10 (SLR7, 28/3/14)
Leeds 11, St Helens 10 (SLPSF, 20/9/13)
Leeds 22, St Helens 30 (SLR15, 20/5/13)
St Helens 12, Leeds 20 (SLR5, 1/3/13)
Leeds 18, St Helens 31 (SLR14, 21/5/12)
St Helens 46, Leeds 6 (SLR8, 25/3/12)
Leeds 32, St Helens 16 (SLGF, 8/10/11) (at Old Trafford, Manchester)
St Helens 42, Leeds 16 (SLR16, 3/6/11) (at Stobart Stadium, Widnes)