Wakefield Trinity vs Leigh Leopards Prediction: Away side can reach semis

Wakefield Trinity and Leigh Leopards will both see a terrific opportunity to reach the Betfred Challenge Cup semi-finals when they lock horns at Belle Vue on Friday night. (Kick-off 20:00)

Leigh won a stunning victory at Wembley in 2023 and can move to within 80 minutes of a return there with victory against a Wakefield side who have impressed on their return to the top flight. Below you can find my Wakefield Trinity vs Leigh Leopards predictions for this crunch clash. 

Rugby League Odds

Team news

The big team news for either side is the surprise return to the squad for Leigh of winger Josh Charnley. Last season's top try scorer has been blighted by injury this season and was not expected to return until later this month, but has been named in the initial 21-man squad for the trip to West Yorkshire.

The Leopards are getting closer to a fully-fit squad, with England prop Robbie Mulhern returning from a calf injury. Darnell McIntosh is still sidelined however, so Charnley's imminent return is a big boost.

The hosts make just one change to their squad who faced Leigh only a week ago in Super League - and won convincingly. Corey Hall is back after a rib injury so returns to the squad in pace of half-back Jake Trueman.

Head coach Daryl Powell is unlikely to want to change much after his side's stunning 40-14 win at Leigh last weekend.

Warrington Trinity vs Leigh Leopards Odds

Handicap 3-way Leigh Leopards -4 @ 7/5

Wakefield's 40-14 win at Leigh last season was one of the results of the season so far. Trinity have impressed on their Super League return but nobody expected that in the Leopards' Den.

So can they back up seven days later and do it again? Well they have the home advantage of a packed crowd this week so it would appear foolish to back against another Wakefield win, but something about this Leigh team just makes me believe that in the big one-off games they will be tough to beat.

We saw that in their Challenge Cup win two seasons ago and I just feel that we will see that again here. This is genuinely a contest that could go either way but my gut instinct is that Leigh have more quality. In David Armstrong and Umyla Hanley they have real strike to take advantage of the guile of Lachlan Lam and I feel that could prove the difference.

Leigh's last trip to Wakefield was actually in that successful 2023 Cup run, and they won in style 40-12. A lot has changed for both sides since then of course, but I still have Leigh to edge this one.

Umyla Hanley anytime tryscorer @ 7/4

I'm sticking to form this week and trusting the Leigh assets. If you fancy a strong scoring performance from Wakefield then I would be looking at their wingers Tom Johnstone at 10/11 and Matty Russell at 5/4. Both helped themselves to two tries last week.

But if I am backing Leigh - and I am - then it is David Armstrong and Umyla Hanley where we should once again be looking. Both have come up trumps for us in the anytime tryscorer markets this season, and Hanley came through for us last week in defeat at 7/4.

At similar odds this week, I see no reason to change my selection.

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