Wigan can surprise Rhinos

Wigan Warriors are worth a small interest at a general 7-2 for their Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-final visit to Leeds Rhinos on Saturday afternoon. The match will be shown live on BBC One.

The Rhinos, the Super League champions, are strong favourites at 1-4 with Stan James, and it is easy to see why given that they lead the table by six points.

However, Brian Noble, the Warriors coach, has been to Headingley 17 times with Bradford, his previous club, and Wigan, and won there on 11 occasions.

Noble, twice a Cup winner with Bradford, plotted a 22-18 fifth-round win for Wigan at Leeds last May, and was behind the Rhinos’ only home defeat this year, a 14-10 setback in April.

Wigan, who have won the trophy a record 17 times, ran up 180 points in their early-round wins over Pia and Whitehaven, and have carried on that scoring form in Super League with 38-point scores against Warrington and Wakefield.

Noble’s cause is further helped by  the arrival of Australian back Cameron Phelps, who should add another edge to Wigan’s attack.

Leeds have put together a seven-match winning run since that defeat by Wigan and are keen to make their first visit to Wembley since 1999.

The Rhinos have had an eye on this meeting for a while and there is no doubt that they are formidable opponents. However, Wigan have been showing enough to suggest they can make a game of it, and at the prices justify a small-stakes bet.

Backers might also want to consider the handicap market, in which the Warriors are evens with Bet365 in receipt of a 12-point start.