• Leeds coach Brian McDermott admits centre is not 100% fit
• Wigan team have private talk on pitch during walkabout
It is six years since Leeds were badly bitten after gambling on the fitness of a centre in the Challenge Cup final, but their coach, Brian McDermott, has not shied away from the calculated risk he will take by handing a Wembley debut to Kallum Watkins against Wigan on Saturday.
Watkins had to be helped from the field in agony during the Super League defeat by Harlequins at the Stoop last Saturday and the club's medical staff feared the talented but injury-prone 20-year-old was facing another lengthy lay-off.
Even at a press conference at Headingley on Tuesday, McDermott was sceptical when Watkins described his chances of playing as "50-50" – exactly as the Great Britain centre Keith Senior had done in the buildup to the 2005 cup final against Hull in Cardiff. It was clear from the kick-off that Senior, who had been carried off with a serious ankle injury the week before the final, was not fit, and after hobbling through the first half he was substituted. It was one of the factors widely blamed for the Rhinos' surprise 25-24 defeat.
But when Leeds visited Wembley for the traditional Friday walkabout, McDermott said that Watkins and his other first-choice centre Carl Ablett, who was also injured in the defeat at Harlequins, had been declared fit to play.
"Our physio, Dave O'Sullivan, has earned his corn this week," McDermott said. "He's turned Kallum Watkins around. We all thought initially that's a definitely eight-monther. Over the next 48 hours it panned out that it wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be but I just didn't think he'd be right. So he's worked his magic there.
With typical honesty McDermott added: "It is a risk. I don't think he's at the level that Keith was – he's up and about and running. But if you're asking me if he's 100% fit, he's not, I'm not going to tell you a lie. But that goes for about 50% of the squad, as I reckon Michael Maguire can say about 50% of the Wigan squad."
Watkins is one of a number of exciting young Leeds players who have been eclipsed in the buildup by the hype over the Wigan full-back, Sam Tomkins. Leeds have drawn huge motivation from that, with their captain, Kevin Sinfield, joking that they had considered not turning up. Their preparation has been notably relaxed and after leaving Wembley the players were left to do their own sightseeing in London before returning to their base near Watford.
Wigan, who were addressed by Sir Alex Ferguson this week, finalised their buildup with a session at Saracens' training base arranged by their former captain Andy Farrell.
During their visit to Wembley, they made an unprecedented request to consign the media and other officials to the tunnel while the players had a private discussion on the pitch. "They're a very tight bunch," said Maguire, who was allowed to stand in the drizzle on the touchline. "The boys just had a chat about what tomorrow's all about."
At least 30,000 Wigan supporters are expected for the team's first appearance at Wembley since a surprise defeat by Sheffield in 1998, but the ground will fall some way short of a sell-out because Leeds have failed to sell their allocation of 15,000, presumably because of fears of a repeat of the 30-6 thrashing they suffered against Warrington last year.
"We believe we can win and that'll do me," McDermott said – but the Rhinos' hopes of springing an upset do seem worryingly reliant on their young centre's wounded knee.
Leeds Rhinos: Webb; Jones-Bishop, Watkins, Ablett, Hall; Sinfield (capt), Burrow or McGuire; Leuluai, Buderus, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Delaney, Clarkson. Interchange (from): Burrow or McGuire, Kirke, Bailey, Hauraki, Lauitiiti.
Wigan Warriors: S Tomkins; Charnley, J Tomkins, Carmont, Richards; Finch, Deacon; Coley, Leuluai, Lima, Hoffman, Hansen, O'Loughlin (capt). Interchange (from): McIlorum, Mossop, Prescott, Farrell, Hock.
Referee: P Bentham (Warrington).
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/aug/26/leeds-kallum-watkins-wigan-wembley
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