Wigan-Leigh expected to go ahead after furore

Game will be played tonight despite alleged complaint from Leigh owner about away ticket allocation

- Aaron Bower

Tonight’s Super League playoff semifinal between Leigh Leopards and Wigan Warriors is expected to go ahead as planned, but only after it was overshadowed by a controversy that could only really happen in rugby league.

The events of last weekend should have been the springboard for a significant six weeks for the sport, kickstarted by St Helens' victory over Leeds in the opening round of the playoffs. Saints won in dramatic circumstances, scoring the winning try after the full-time hooter had sounded and whetting the appetite not only for the run-in to Old Trafford but also this autumn’s Ashes series.

There are two semifinals, one of which is unpredictable and one that could yield another upset. But as one historian once said, this great sport never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

So here we are again, on the eve of a big game, talking about owners not players. It is a recurring tale in rugby league; those in the boardrooms capturing the headlines rather than allowing the focus to be on the game itself. This time, it is the Leigh owner, Derek Beaumont, at the centre of the story, after Wigan claimed on Wednesday he threatened to pull his side from tonight’s local derby.