Ward expecting a tight encounter as rivals battle for place in final

FAMILIARITY HAS bred respect among Leeds Rhinos' players for tomorrow's Super League semi-final opponents Hull FC.
Stevie WardStevie Ward
Stevie Ward

The sudden-death tie will be the sides’ fifth meeting this year and Rhinos second-row Stevie Ward said past encounters suggest it will be a tight battle which could go down to the wire.

Leeds won 52-24 at KCOM Stadium and 10-7 on their own turf in the regular Super League campaign and were 38-26 victors when the Black and Whites visited Headingley at the end of August in the Super 8s.

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But Hull produced their best performance of the season in a 43-24 Challenge Cup semi-final triumph two months ago and Ward reckons neither team is likely to be taken by surprise tomorrow night.

“Generally you learn quite a lot as you go on in the year,” he said.

“We are in a very different position to the first time we played them at the start of the year. We learn each week and I am sure they have learned quite a bit about playing us.

“We’ve played each other quite often now and we know it’s going to be a tough contest.

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“It’s something we are all looking forward to and it is an exciting situation to be in.”

The semi-final victory was Hull’s only win in their last 10 meetings with Rhinos.

They have not won at Headingley since September, 2007 – a run of 12 successive defeats away to Leeds – but the surroundings will be different tomorrow.

The South Stand has now been demolished, with the rubble due to be cleared by kick-off time and work has begun in the main stand, reducing Headingley’s capacity to 12,500.

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Hull supporters will make up around a quarter of the crowd and Ward said: “Past results won’t have any bearing.

“It is a semi-final and we’re not going to read anything into what’s happened in the past. We know what we need to do and we need to put out a performance.”

Ward returns after not featuring in last week’s win over Huddersfield Giants with fellow forwards Brett Ferres and Brad Singleton also recalled in a strong 19-man squad missing only Brett Delaney and Keith Galloway.

Hull make just one change with utility forward Jordan Thompson brought in for Australian winger Steve Michaels who did not feature in the matchday 17 during their win at Thompson’s former club Castleford.

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Meanwhile, Wigan’s young English centre Oliver Gildart has been named in Italy’s train-on squad for the World Cup along with Huddersfield Giants’ Australian prop Shannon Wakeman and Hull’s Mark Minichiello.

Former Hull KR duo Terry Campese and Josh Mantellato are also included along with Halifax prop Alex Mammone and 34-year-old former Italy rugby union centre Mirco Bergamasco.

Elsewhere, Salford owner Marwan Koukash is reportedly set to walk away from the club who have also announced the departure of long-serving brothers Adam and Jordan Walne.

London Broncos have allowed France scrum-half William Barthau and Wigan-born hooker Andy Ackers to leave due to “family reasons” with Barthau expected to join Toulouse.

Also, Super League’s Grand Final will remain at Old Trafford until 2020 after a deal was agreed.