Wakefield Trinity v Wigan Warriors: Willie Poching wary of threat posed by Jai Field

THE MOST potent attacking threat in the European game stands between Wakefield Trinity and a rare Challenge Cup semi-final appearance.
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Trinity coach Willie Poching has put his side on red alert to deal with the danger posed by Wigan Warriors full-back Jai Field at Belle Vue tomorrow.

But Poching has also warned if Trinity focus too much on stopping Field, they could fall victim to one of the visitors’ many other offensive options.

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Field, who signed a new two-year contract this week, was Super League’s February player of the month and is top of the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel leaderboard.

DANGER MAN: Wigan Warriors' Jai Field. Picture: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.DANGER MAN: Wigan Warriors' Jai Field. Picture: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.
DANGER MAN: Wigan Warriors' Jai Field. Picture: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.

He has scored nine tries and has made more clean breaks and metres than any other player in the top division, as well as being named man of the match in four of Wigan’s eight games so far.

“He is probably the most potent attacking weapon in Super League at the moment,” warned Poching. “We have got to be aware of him, we have tried to do our due diligence on him this week, but he is just one of 17 we will have to take care of.

“If we focus too much on him, there’s plenty of others who can hurt you as well.” Wigan, despite Field’s superlative form, will not be expecting an easy passage into the last four.

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Trinity are one of Super League’s form teams and will go into tomorrow’s game on the back of four successive wins.

PLENTY TO PONDER: Wakefield Trinity head coach Willie Poching. Picture: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com.PLENTY TO PONDER: Wakefield Trinity head coach Willie Poching. Picture: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com.
PLENTY TO PONDER: Wakefield Trinity head coach Willie Poching. Picture: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com.

Poching said: “We’ve taken a bit of confidence out of the last couple of games, although we weren’t happy with our second half performance [against Salford] last week.

“We took our foot off the pedal and we have to learn to be a bit more ruthless. We achieved one objective last week, which was to start the game better than in the previous two against Warrington, but we have got to do that again.

“It is nice to be back home, but Wigan will be confident as well, from their history in this competition and their standing in the game. They have done really well under their new coach and they’ve got some people coming back – Tommy Leuluai will be a big addition to their squad.

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“We have got to focus on giving ourselves the best opportunity we can to put in the best possible performance.”

RETURN: Wakefield Trinity's Lee Gaskell is in contention to face Hull FC in the Challenge Cup. Picture: Tony Johnson.RETURN: Wakefield Trinity's Lee Gaskell is in contention to face Hull FC in the Challenge Cup. Picture: Tony Johnson.
RETURN: Wakefield Trinity's Lee Gaskell is in contention to face Hull FC in the Challenge Cup. Picture: Tony Johnson.

While a semi-final appearance would be business as usual for Wigan, Trinity have reached that stage only twice since their most recent Wembley appearance, in 1979.

“The club hasn’t been to the big occasions too often of late,” said Poching. “We’d like to experience some of that within the group, but we understand the obstacle that’s in the way. The opposition will be as hungry as we are.”

Pre-season signing Lee Gaskell has been named in Trinity’s initial squad following injury and prop Dave Fifita could return following a back injury. Yusuf Aydin drops out, but Harry Bowes, Sadiq Adebiyi and Lewis Murphy are all vying for a call-up.

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Wakefield Trinity: from Jowitt, Johnstone, Lyne, Miller, Lino, Battye, Hood, Arona, Ashurst, Tanginoa, Pitts, Crowther, Whitbread, Batchelor, Gaskell, Kay, Adebiyi, Bowes, Murphy, Hall, Fifita.

Wigan Warriors: from French, Bibby, Hardaker, Thornley, Cust, Leuluai, Singleton, Powell, Mago, Isa, Farrell, Bateman, Smithies, Smith, Partington, Havard, Byrne, Shorrocks, Field, Halsall, O’Neill.