Leigh Leopards have been handed a major blow ahead of the game against Hull KR with one of their key players suffering an injury in the warm-up.
Centre Tesi Niu has been ruled out of the match after suffering an injury in the warm-up with Sky Sports’ Jenna Brooks reporting a hamstring injury sustained by Niu just minutes before Leigh kicked off against Hull KR.
Niu was partnering fellow centre Umyla Hanley for only the second time this season but the powerful back didn’t come through the warm-up.
He has been replaced by winger AJ Towse with Gareth O’Brien remaining as the Leopards’ 18th man, having dropped out of the squad to accommodate the return of full-back David Armstrong.
Armstrong starts his first game for the Leopards since suffering the ACL injury that ended his 2025 campaign and there’s another full-back boost for Leigh as Bailey Hodgson returns via the bench as he recovers from his knee injury.
As part of the switch, Innes Senior has moved in from the wing to play centre with Niu’s replacement Towse occupying his natural position on the wing.
Hull KR’s team news focused around the fact that Arthur Mourgue was recalled with the French full-back featuring for the first time since the World Club Challenge when he tore his pec.
Leigh Leopards XIII: David Armstrong; AJ Towse, Innes Senior, Umyla Hanley, Josh Charnley; Adam Cook, Lachlan Lam, Joe Ofahengaue, Edwin Ipape, Owen Trout; Frankie Halton, Jacob Alick-Wiencke; Isaac Liu
Interchanges: Louis Brogan, Bailey Hodgson, Liam Horne, Jack Hughes
Hull KR starting XIII: Arthur Mourgue; Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, Oliver Gildart, Joe Burgess; Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May; Sauaso Sue, Karl Lawton, Tom Amone; Dean Hadley, Rhyse Martin; Elliot Minchella
Interchanges: Jez Litten, Sam Luckley, Jai Whitbread, Jack Broadbent
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