Leeds ready for toughest draw

Leeds have been drawn at home against Super League leaders Wigan Warriors in the Quarter Final of the Carnegie Challenge Cup.

Wigan, who beat Widnes 64-10 on Saturday, will travel to Headingley Carnegie on the final weekend of May. Wigan have only lost twice this season, away at Bradford and recently at home to Quins, and defeated the Rhinos 24-4 earlier this season at the DW Stadium.

Rhinos Head Coach Brian McClennan said: “First and foremost it is good to be at home and, like our game at Hull FC in the Fourth Round, undoubtedly this will be the tie of the round. When you look at the other fixtures it is a tough draw for both clubs. However, we have got some good games in the next fortnight to get ready for it in with Warrington at Headingley Carnegie next Friday and followed by a trip to Bradford.

“We went to Wigan earlier this year and they beat us comfortably on the night. They are the hot team of the competition at the moment and we will have to improve over in the next two weeks. Hopefully there will be a big crowd and its going to be one hell of a fixture,” added McClennan.

The two sides have met most recently in the Carnegie Challenge Cup back in 2008 at the same stage when the Rhinos won 23-16. Wigan had knocked the Rhinos out of the Cup at the Fifth Round stage the previous year with a 22-18 win, also at Headingley Carnegie.

The only other previous Cup meeting in the summer era came in 1999 when Leeds beat Wigan 28-18 in the Fourth Round on their way to winning the Cup for the last time in the club’s history.

Leeds and Wigan also competed in the 1994 and 1995 Challenge Cup Finals at Wembley, with the Cherry and Whites winning both as part of their record breaking Cup run.