Edwin Ipape injury update as Leigh Leopards coach provides latest ahead of St Helens clash
Leigh Leopards coach Adrian Lam says it is ‘more than likely’ that star man Edwin Ipape will return to face St Helens this weekend.
Friday night’s game has huge permutations for both clubs, with Leigh hoping to win to make the top six and Saints aiming to secure home advantage in the play-offs.
Papua New Guinea international Ipape has missed Leigh’s last two games with a shoulder injury: but he is set to return this week, with Lam saying a final call on him will be made on captain’s run.
“I think Edwin should be alright to play,” Lam said. “We’ll give him up to captain’s run to make that decision but he’ll be good to play and, if he does play, he’ll more than likely start.
“Who else we bring in out of that 21 will be a decision that is made at the very last minute but it’s a home game for us, it’s a Friday night, we want to respond from the performance we were disappointed with from last week (against Hull KR) and the whole season is on the line for us.
“Edwin probably could’ve played last week but we made a calculated decision that it was best to rehab him for another week and, if he plays, we’ll be in a really comfortable position that it will be 100 per cent correct and right, so that won’t be an issue for us.
“He’s obviously one of the best in the competition, not only with the ball, but defensively he brings a lot to our team as well. He’s a big-hitter and you need that physicality against teams like St Helens, so we’ll make a decision on him on captain’s run but he’ll more than likely play, and if he does, he’ll start.”
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Lam says his side are determined to bounce back from their 24-0 defeat to Hull KR last Friday with a strong performance against St Helens: and a win would seal a play-off berth following a remarkable season turnaround in the second half of the campaign.
Lam added: “It’s a hard one when you’ve been going great and you go out and you don’t play the way you wanted to play or the way you have played over the last 12 weeks. There’s a bit of emotion tied in with that and frustration with it so we’ve got to just make sure we balance this weekend really well and have a fresh mindset leading into Friday night’s game.”
