It is 20 years since St Helens and Wigan Warriors met in the most infamous Good Friday derby of the Super League era. Two decades after that battle at Knowsley Road, the rivalry is as fierce as it has ever been.
The game itself ended in dramatic fashion at 21-21, with Sean Long’s late drop goal giving the Saints a share of the spoils and denying an earlier one-pointer from Wigan icon Andy Farrell.
Yet it’s the second half of the game, which ended when John Wilkins and Terry Newton began to fight after a hit, that has proven to be the most lasting memory.
It is also a moment that has been used to bring together the rivalry between the two teams from opposite sides of Billings Hill ever since and St Helens head coach Paul Vallance, who made a full return to his hometown club in 2004. Standing in line, everyone knows what these games mean.
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Check out some of the 10 most memorable moments from the Good Friday derby between St Helens and Wigan Warriors, including the infamous 2004 clash
“It’s vegan on Good Friday – it sells itself,” Valens said ahead of this year’s showdown at the Totally Wicked Stadium. “The audience and the players can’t wait for the game to come around.
“It’s a fact that you circle around at the beginning of every year, and we’re always excited about the challenge.
“These are two teams that have had a lot of success in recent history, and a lot of that comes from knowing how to handle big plays and big moments, and how to channel your emotions the right way.
“This is the biggest game in British rugby league. We have the Grand Finals and the Challenge Cup Final, but after those showpiece occasions, I think it’s the game against Saints Wigan on Good Friday that everyone wants to see.
Head coaches Matt Pete and Paul Vallance before last year’s Good Friday derby between Wigan and St Helens
Wellens played an unlikely role as peacemaker back in 2004, after England captain Farrell and teammate Paul Sculthorpe broke up during the clash they decided to settle a minor disagreement.
For Sculthorpe, the competition was summed up by how the intensity rises for both teams during Good Friday derby games.
“I will always say that the Good Friday games were like a test match,” Sculthorpe told the official Super League website. “They were a step away from regular Super League play.
“I always think that one, Good Friday, is extra special.”
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Highlights from last year’s Betfair Super League Good Friday derby saw Wigan Warriors beat St Helens 14-8 at the DW Stadium
It was Wigan who triumphed in last year’s Easter meeting, however, 14-8 winners on their way to claiming grand final glory at Old Trafford less than six months later, and eight miles from their nearest and dearest. was crowned for World Club Challenge winner also in February.
Warriors head coach Matt Peet isn’t a player in those matches, but as a Wagner and lifelong fan of the club, not to mention someone who has spent a significant amount of time on the coaching staff at DW Stadium, he’s related. is the. These games are as important as any other.
But while he won’t be discouraging his players from getting into the spirit of the day, he knows the visitors will have no chance of reclaiming the bragging rights from last June’s 34-16 defeat at St Helens if They don’t get everything right when it comes to that. It comes down to how they go about playing the game.
“It’s about striking a balance between the two,” Pete said. “You can’t get away from the emotional side, but it won’t win you the game which means you have to get the rugby side right.
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“We won’t need to remind the players that this is a great match because they are very proud people who will be cheered on by the crowd.” As coaches, we will focus more on the style of rugby.
“It’s completely unique in what rugby league fans and the people of the two cities understand.”
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