Wigan bear brunt of injuries

Wigan, Warrington and St Helens all face injury crises for this weekend's Super League.

Wigan, Warrington and St Helens all face injury crises for this weekend's Super League.

Preparing for the game at Widnes, only seven Wigan players were able to train yesterday, with coach Denis Betts fearing that eight regular first-teamers will miss out. Andy Farrell, Brian Carney and Gareth Hock, who damaged a knee in the defeat by Bradford, are confirmed absent.

Terry Newton (knee), Danny Sculthorpe (hamstring), Jerry Seuseu (knee), Dave Allen (hamstring) and Bob Beswick (ankle) have little chance of playing.

The Warrington coach, Paul Cullen, has named only 15 players in his 20-man squad for Friday's derby with St Helens. Saints, too, will be under-strength, with Great Britain internationals Paul Sculthorpe and Sean Long on the sidelines.

Cullen will call on under-21 players after ruling out nine members of his 25-strong squad. Nathan Wood, Paul Noone and Mark Hilton joined the burgeoning casualty list after Sunday's 32-10 defeat at Hull. Simon Grix would have made his debut, but for fracturing a fibula and ankle against Leeds' Under-21s.

Andrew Dunemann is to leave Leeds at the season's end, to be with his ill father in Australia.

A rib injury has deprived Huddersfield of their captain, Ben Roarty, for up to six weeks.