Rivals Round: Crossing the divide

The annual Good Friday derby is almost upon us, as Rivals Round is set to be one of the biggest ones yet!

Only Billinge Hill separates both St Helens and Wigan, and there's one man who has crossed this divide for 2024 - switching from a Saints stalwart to a Wigan Warrior.

In between, Luke Thompson has spent the last four seasons in the NRL playing with Canterbury Bulldogs, before signing a four-year-deal with Wigan ahead of the 2024 season.

And come Good Friday, Thompson will face his former club for the first time in the Cherry and White, in front of an 18,000 sold out crowd, as he returns to the Totally Wicked Stadium.

The powerhouse prop made 164 appearances for Saints in the Red V between 2013 and 2020, where he won three League Leaders' Shields, two Grand Finals and appeared in a Challenge Cup Final. This was before making his NRL move Down Under.

"I was over in Australia for almost four years - I really loved my time there," Thompson said. "It was a great experience both on and off the field.

"I feel like I've matured as a person and as a player over in Australia. And now I'm with Wigan, I hope I'll be able to bring some of that experience back here."

Signing for Saints' rivals Wigan was an easy decision for Thompson, as not only is Wigan his hometown club, but he explains how both parties were on each other's radars throughout last season:

"I've really been enjoying it so far, the team has been great, the club has been great, and we've been winning which has been good, so hopefully we can keep that going.

"I'm actually from Wigan, and Wigan had a great season last year. I've just been really impressed with them, so it was a no-brainer, really.

"Wigan approached me pretty early on in the year last year. They expressed their interest and I expressed to the club my interest, but I wanted to get back playing first and see where I was at.

"I was in the last year of my contract at Canterbury, and I picked up a bad injury where I didn't play for most of the season. I only played the last four games.

"And Wigan stuck it out and waited there for me which I'm really grateful for. I was grateful to Wigan for understanding my situation."

It was one a piece last year where results in the St Helens v Wigan derbies were concerned. Both triumphed on their home patches last time out and as a man who's played in plenty over the years, including Saints' memorable 2014 Grand Final win against Wigan, Thompson knows what to expect on the day:

"One thing that always springs to the mind is the atmosphere, especially on Good Friday.

"It's in the afternoon, usually the sun always comes out and the atmosphere is electric.

"It's a fast game, the crowds are always in their numbers and will be this time too as it's a sell-out, and we'll just be feeding off the energy of the crowd and the occasion.

"It's always a great occasion."

And although it'll be different kind of feeling as he'll be featuring in Good Friday's match as a Warriors player, Thompson insists any emotions and thoughts on this will be put aside, as he focuses wholly on a Wigan win and taking the two points:

"We're five games into the season and we?re just focusing on week to week. Good Friday is another game that's in front of us, so I'll be getting out there this weekend and just doing my job."

Set to be a showpiece event, Thompson gave his thoughts on the famous derby:

"I think it'll make for a great game. Saints have had a lot of success - look at when they won the four Grand Finals on the bounce. Wigan managed to win this year, so I think all eyes will be on this game.

"Saints might still be stinging from the back end of last year and we be hoping to go one step further. And we, Wigan, obviously wants to hold the standards of what we've had and got.

"These are the games you want to play in. When you look at the fixture list at the beginning of the season, the Saints and Wigan and Wigan and Saints games are always the ones you look out for.

"And they'll definitely be the games I look back on in my career."

Thompson has appeared in all of Wigan's 2024 Super League matches so far this season and has already proved himself to be an integral part of the team with some impressive attacking and defensive displays.

And Thompson hopes it can continue, and that he can enjoy similar success with the current Champions as he did at St Helens - as he outlined his main goals for this year:

"I just want to play good, consistent rugby every week, making the Wigan fans proud, as well as my family proud."

The Warriors remain unbeaten in 2024 and currently have 15 match winning streak in Super League. It is St Helens however, who have won the last seven of their eight Super League matches against Wigan as the home side.

As two of the competition's heavyweights battle it out on Good Friday, it is set to a blockbuster encounter, with Thompson admitting that rivalries play a monumental part in the game of Rugby League:

"Rivalries are great for all sports - they are what helps build the occasion and hype around a game.

"I think it's great we have the rivalry we do, and I think it's great for the game."

Good Friday will see Thompson's Wigan Warriors travel to St Helens for the famous Good Friday derby, as Rivals Round (Round 6) continues live on Sky Sports.

All six games across Rivals Round will be broadcasted LIVE and information regarding dates, venues and kick-off times can be found here.

There's still time to sign up to SuperLeague+ if you haven't already, with match passes, monthly passes and annual passes all available.