Squad watch: All of the Challenge Cup semi-final team news, including TV coverage details
It’s the semi-finals of the men’s and women’s Challenge Cup this weekend, with two double-header matches taking place in Warrington and Leeds.
The first double-header will be on Saturday, with the women’s semi-final between St Helens and York taking place at 11:45am followed by the men’s semi-final between St Helens and Leigh at 2:30pm.
The second day sees Leeds face Wigan in the women’s semi-finals at Headingley at 2:15pm, with the men’s clash between Hull KR and Wigan getting underway at 5pm.
Saturday
Women: St Helens v York Valkyrie (11:45am, BBC Red Button TV)
Jodie Cunningham on the charge for St Helens
Former Woman of Steel and current England captain Jodie Cunningham is back for selection for St Helens following knee surgery in June. She could make her first appearance in the Red V since their win over Leeds in May.
Meanwhile, reigning Woman of Steel Tara Jane Stanley is included in York’s squad for the semi-final at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
St Helens: Rotheram, McColm, Partington, Williams, Harris, Gaskin, Hoyle, Jones, Crowl, Travis, Rudge, Cunningham, Whitfield, Sams, Stott, Birchall, Bridge, Mottershead, Taylor, McGifford, Hook.
York: Akpa, Andrade, Bell, Field, Gale, Hendry, Hyde, Kershaw, Lambert, Marshall, Owen, Peach, Renouf, Rihari, Sanderson, Sharp, Stanley, Staveley, Taylor, Whitehead, Wood.
Men: St Helens v Leigh Leopards (2:30pm, BBC One)
Edwin Ipape in action for Leigh Leopards
St Helens coach Paul Wellens has made three changes to his side that lost to Catalans Dragons last Thursday. Tommy Makinson, Joe Batchelor and Tee Ritson have been included in the 21-man squad and could make their returns from injury.
Meanwhile, influential centre Mark Percival and captain James Roby step out of the side having failed their head injury assessments last week. Curtis Sironen also drops out of the squad this weekend through injury.
Meanwhile, Leigh are set to welcome back star hooker Edwin Ipape this weekend. The Papua New Guinea international missed last week’s win at Salford through illness.
St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Lees, Mata’utia, Batchelor, Knowles, Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Paasi, Bell, Norman, Davies, Royle, Hurrell, Ritson, Delaney.
Leigh: Hardaker, Briscoe, Chamberlain, Leutele, Charnley, Mellor, Lam, Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, Hughes, Asiata, Nakubuwai, Reynolds, Holmes, O’Brien, Davis, Smith, Wilde, Seumanufagai.
Sunday
Women: Wigan Warriors v Leeds Rhinos (2:15pm, BBC iPlayer)
Lois Forsell has named Kaiya Glynn and Keara Bennett in her squad for their semi-final clash with Wigan. The pair know that this game will be their last for a couple of weeks with respective two-match bans coming into effect on Tuesday – July 25 – courtesy of the RFL’s policy on suspensions outside of the men’s Super League.
Caitlin Beevers is also named, along with the trio of Tara Moxon, Sam Hulme and Beth Lockwood who all return having missed last week’s draw against league leaders York Knights. The only Rhinos absentee is Sophie Nuttall, who is observing concussion protocol having taken a knock in that game against the Knights.
Emma Dwyer meanwhile is named by the Warriors. In a recent ‘nines’ tournament, she scooted over for a try against the Rhinos in a group game which ended in a 14-14 draw.
The pair would go on to meet in the final of that competition, with Leeds edging out the Cherry and Whites to lift the silverware.
Wigan: Salihi, Hilton, Thompson, Davies, Greenfield, Banks, Burrows, Speakman, Marsh, Hunter, Coleman, Molyneux, Dwyer, Jones, Johnson, Morris, Jones, Doria, Bardlsey
Leeds: Robinson, Beevers, Butcher, Hulme, Hornby, Bennett, Anderson, Hardcastle, Dainton, Cudjoe, Lockwood, Northrop, Hayward, Moxon, Glynn, Greening, Casey, Murray, Enright
Men: Hull Kingston Rovers v Wigan Warriors (5pm, BBC Two)
Mikey Lewis and Kane Linnett both return for Hull KR this weekend
Hull KR have been boosted by the return of key regulars Mikey Lewis and Kane Linnett after passing their return to play concussion protocol. Elliot Minchella has also been included and will be pushing to play on Sunday.
However, the Robins will be without versatile forward Dean Hadley for the Challenge Cup clash after he failed his HIA in their win at Leeds last time out.
Wigan coach Matt Peet has made one change to his side that beat Warrington last week. Willie Isa is named in the squad for the first time since a hamstring injury sustained against Leeds in Round 12, and replaces Iain Thornley.
Hull KR: Ryan, Opacic, Kenny-Dowall, Hall, Parcell, King, Linnett, Minchella, Litten, Kennedy, Batchelor, Storton, Keinhorst, Lewis, Milnes, Senior, Johnson, Luckley, Aydin, Schneider, Gorman.
Wigan: Field, French, King, Wardle, Marshall, Cust, Smith, Singleton, Byrne, Isa, Farrell, Smithies, Ellis, Pearce-Paul, Shorrocks, Mago, O’Neill, Miski, Hill, Nsemba, Hampshire.
Challenge Cup Final Day takes place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, August 12.