Fitness gamble as St Helens name 21-man squad for Good Friday derby against Wigan Warriors

St Helens head coach Paul Wellens has made two changes to his 21-man squad ahead of Good Friday’s Super League derby encounter against Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium.

Sione Mata’utia and Jake Wingfield are both back in contention for a spot in the final 17. Mata’utia missed out last week due to head injury protocols, while Wingfield has a slight shoulder issue and his full fitness will be decided further down the line.

Alex Walmsley picked up a hamstring injury at the start of last week’s game, and Wellens has confirmed the prop will likely miss four weeks of action, meaning he will be unlikely to play until after the international break.

The Red V come into the game on the back of a 38-0 success over Wakefield Trinity, making it three league wins on the spin after hard-fought, battling victories over Huddersfield Giants and Hull FC in the weeks prior.

Friday’s hosts are also in good form and like St Helens they, too, are on a three-match winning run, edging past both Salford and Huddersfield before comfortably beating Leigh last Thursday evening.

More than 5,000 Saints’ fans will be heading over the Billinge Lump, having sold all their tickets, and the hosts are on course for a sell-out crowd which will represent the biggest attendance of any club this season.

Saints squad: Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Percival, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Roby, Lees, Mata’utia, Knowles, Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Sironen, Paasi, Wingfield, Bell, Royle, Hurrell, Ritson and Delaney.

Wigan Warriors squad: French, King, Wardle, Marshall, Smith, Singleton, Powell, Byrne,  Farrell, Smithies, Cooper, Ellis, Havard, Pearce-Paul, Shorrock, Thornley, Mago,   O’Neill, Miski, Nsemba, Forber.