| Venue: Outdated Trafford Date: Saturday, 14 October Kick-off: 18:00 BST Protection: Stay commentary on BBC Radio 5 Stay and BBC Radio Manchester, plus reside textual content on BBC Sport web site & app |
Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons face one another in Saturday’s Tremendous League Grand Ultimate on the finish of a bruising season.
For Wigan, it’s a probability to seal a Grand Ultimate win at Outdated Trafford for the primary time since 2018 and a sixth triumph within the Tremendous League period.
Or will it’s second time fortunate for Catalans as they return to the Theatre of Desires in the hunt for a primary title after defeat by St Helens within the showpiece two years in the past?
BBC Sport takes a take a look at what’s at stake beneath the lights in Manchester.
‘The fairytale is not enjoying, it is successful’
Catalans’ Sam Tomkins prepares to bow out after Saturday’s recreation, ending a outstanding profession which has seen him win three Tremendous League Grand Finals, all of which got here for Saturday’s opponents.
The previous England captain, and one of many greats of the Tremendous League period, introduced his retirement on the finish of the season earlier in 2023 and has been in impeccable kind throughout this marketing campaign.
His second of brilliance to search out the area to attain the decisive attempt within the dying moments of Catalans’ semi-final victory towards St Helens helped arrange a blockbuster Grand Ultimate towards his former membership.
However can he finish his profession by consigning the Cherry and Whites to defeat beneath the Outdated Trafford lights?
“It is a large alternative for us and it makes every part worthwhile. It makes the winter days and the robust coaching in pre-season all value it once you get to expire on this pitch,” Tomkins instructed BBC North West Tonight.
“I could not have written this. If someone had requested me how I want to end my time enjoying rugby league this may be it, enjoying Wigan in a Grand Ultimate. I am very fortunate and I do not take it as a right, I do know I am in a really fortunate place.
“That is why we do it. As athletes you compete to win and there isn’t any larger stage to win than in a Grand Ultimate.”
For Tomkins, the top purpose is straightforward. Win in Manchester and take an historic first title again to the south of France.
“The fairytale is not enjoying on Saturday, it is successful on Saturday,” Tomkins added.
“It is large for the membership. We’re distinctive in the truth that we’re the one French group. We’re younger as a membership, solely 17 years previous, in comparison with Wigan who’re 150 years previous.
“We cannot have tens of hundreds of them at Outdated Trafford on Saturday, however there shall be tons of of hundreds of followers supporting us.”
‘Catalans have a top quality backbone’
Wigan have confronted Catalans on three events in the course of the 2023 season and had been twice on the dropping facet. Nonetheless, of their newest assembly, the Cherry and Whites ran out 34-0 winners in Perpignan.
They’ve been two of essentially the most constant sides within the league this season, and whichever group wins may have needed to battle their approach to victory, based on Warriors full-back Jai Area.
“We have performed them thrice this 12 months they usually’ve given us a run for our cash in each recreation,” Area instructed BBC Radio Manchester.
“We positively know what we’re up towards. They’re an actual robust group with a variety of strike and they’ll be enjoying with a variety of emotion with it being Sam Tomkins’ and Mitchell Pearce’s final recreation.
“They’ve strengths all over the place. They have an incredible pack and good wingers. They’ve a top quality backbone.”
Wigan swept apart Hull KR in final week’s semi-final to arrange the brief journey to Outdated Trafford, which itself got here off the again of their League Leaders’ Defend-winning marketing campaign.
However captain Liam Farrell doesn’t assume this makes them the favourites.
“You must be an excellent group to get to the final recreation of the season. I really feel like we have deserved it this 12 months and so have Catalans,” Farrell instructed BBC North West Tonight.
“I would not say it provides us further confidence however to be referred to as essentially the most constant group all year long, successful the League Leaders’ Defend, is certainly one thing we’re pleased with and we loved that.
“We earned every week off which freshened the group slightly bit and we rolled into the semi-final and did the job there.”
‘We’ll fly the flag for French rugby league’
Catalans’ revival from relegation candidates solely six years in the past to Problem Cup winners in 2018 and enjoying in two Tremendous League Grand Finals in three seasons is outstanding.
Victory in a Grand Ultimate evaded them in 2021 towards St Helens, however captain Ben Garcia believes if they will pull off victory towards Wigan, it will be simply reward for the laborious work behind the scenes within the French rugby league set-up.
“Now we have waited all season to play a recreation like this in such a stadium and to get the trophy again to Perpignan,” he instructed BBC Radio 5 Stay.
“It will be an incredible reward. We labored laborious all 12 months. We would like this trophy however we have to play effectively on Saturday night time.
“Now we have a variety of passionate followers which you noticed in the course of the semi-final. Not everybody can come right here however we’ll have a variety of assist in France.”
It may very well be a doubtlessly historic weekend for French rugby league as Toulouse face London Broncos within the Championship play-off last as they appear to make a right away return to the highest flight.
“Steve [McNamara] as a coach modified a variety of issues on the membership. He has constructed a successful tradition with gamers like Sam Tomkins and Mickey McIlorum,” Garcia added.
“We’ll fly the flag for French rugby league so it [Toulouse also winning] can be nice for everybody.
“It’s a nice weekend for French golf equipment however we each must play effectively on Saturday and Sunday. It will be an incredible reward for everybody concerned in rugby league in France.”
Staff information
Wigan make one change to their 21-man squad.
Ethan Havard returns for the primary time since July following a hamstring damage and replaces Cade Cust.
Kai Pearce-Paul can also be named of their ranks for the ultimate time earlier than he joins NRL facet Newcastle Knights subsequent season.
Catalans identify an unchanged squad for the journey to Manchester after final week’s semi-final win over St Helens.
Wigan (from): Area, French, King, Wardle, Marshall, Smith, Powell, Isa, Farrell, Smithies, Ellis, Havard, Pearce-Paul, Shorrocks, Mago, O’Neill, Miski, Hill, Nsemba, Hampshire, Dupree.
Catalans (from): Mourgue, Davies, Keighran, Could, Pearce, McMeeken, McIlorum, Bousquet, Whitley, Seguier, Garcia, Da Costa, Navarrete, Chan, Romano, Ikuvalu, Taukeiaho, Dezaria, Johnstone, Ma’u, Tomkins.
Referee: Liam Moore.