SL Preview: St Helens v Leeds
Leeds Rhinos will be looking to bounce back from their Club World Challenge defeat against Melbourne Storm when they visit Langtree Park to play St Helens on Friday.
St Helens will be looking to make it two wins on the trot after they beat Bradford Bulls 36-10 the previous week.
Whilst the Rhinos will aim to make it two consecutive wins in the league following their 42-14 rout over the Salford City Reds.
Leeds prop Richard Moore could be set to return to the side and Ryan Bailey faces a race to be fit following surgery on his knee but has been named. Zak Hardaker is out however after having a pin inserted into his broken thumb and winger Ben Jones-Bishop remains on the sidelines following treatment for a blood clot on his lung.
Saints, meanwhile, have named Paul Clough in the 19-man squad for the first time this season and have called upon young centre Mark Percival. Full-back Paul Wellens remains out with a calf problem as does Lance Hohaia and Josh Perry.
St Helens 19-man squad: Gardner, Turner, Soliola, Meli, Lomax, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Puletua, Wilkin, Manu, Laffranchi, Flanagan, Clough, Wheeler, Jones, Greenwood, Walmsley, Walker, Percival
Leeds Rhinos 19-man squad: Watkins, Moon, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, McShane, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Sinfield, Ward, Delaney, Bailey, Kirke, Clarkson, Achurch, Moore, Vickery
Prediction: Will be a close game but I expect Leeds to edge it.
Stats:
St Helens have won their last five home meetings with Leeds. The Rhinos’ last away win against the Saints was 14-10 on 28 March, 2008, at Knowsley Road.
Leeds’ Kevin Sinfield has scored points in thirteen 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.
Super League summary:
St Helens won 27 (includes wins in 1999, 2001, 2007 and 2008 play-offs)
Leeds won 23 (includes wins in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 Grand Finals; 1998 and 2005 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 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)
Leeds 16, St Helens 30 (SLR6, 19/3/11)
Leeds 32, St Helens 28 (CCSF, 7/8/10) (at Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield)
Leeds 28, St Helens 24 (SLR20, 3/7/10)
St Helens 41, Leeds 20 (SLR12, 24/4/10)
Leeds 18, St Helens 10 (SLGF, 10/10/09) (at Old Trafford, Manchester)
Leeds 18, St Helens 10 (SLR26, 4/9/09)