SKY Sports will cover an historic night for Saints teams in Wigan on Friday, July 12, as for the first time in the town there will be a double header of Men’s and Women’s derbies.
That is one of many highlights of the broadcast schedule that has been agreed for Rounds 16-19 of the Betfred Super League (July 5-27), as the battle for the Play-Offs gathers pace in the Men’s and Women’s competitions.
Wigan Warriors Women played their first match at The Brick Community Stadium against Barrow Raiders last month, and this will be the first time they have hosted their local rivals at the ground.
The Warriors, after appointing Denis Betts as coach in the off-season, offered further evidence of their growing competitiveness by giving Leeds Rhinos a fright in last weekend’s Betfred Challenge Cup Semi Finals – but Saints underlined their status as the team to beat by crushing York Valkyrie to secure their fourth consecutive Cup Final appearance.
The Betfred Super League clash that follows will provide Matt Peet’s Warriors with a first chance to take revenge for the defeat they suffered against Saints at the Totally Wicked Stadium in a titanic struggle on Good Friday – with the rivals meeting for a third time this season at Magic Weekend in Leeds in August.
Sky Sports will continue to cover all six matches from every Betfred Super League round, with two matches from each round selected for exclusive coverage.
The exclusive picks in Round 16 will see Huddersfield Giants travelling to Warrington Wolves on Friday July 5 with a score to settle after Sunday’s thumping defeat in the Betfred Challenge Cup Semi Final, and the following day sees a meeting of Play-Off rivals Hull KR and Catalans Dragons at Sewell Group Craven Park.
There’s a return to Thursday night action in Round 17 with the Wolves hosting Leeds Rhinos, and the following weekend kicks off with a blockbuster between St Helens and Warrington on Friday July 19, before Hull KR face the Rhinos at Headingley in a Saturday afternoon clash.
Round 19 features two more derbies, with Huddersfield hosting Leeds on Thursday July 25, and Warrington at Wigan the following night in what will be a repeat of the Challenge Cup Final.