Steve Starr
- St Helens (+105) is the favorite heading into their semifinal matchup with the Leigh Leopards (+550)
- Wigan (+185) will battle Hull KR (+800) this Sunday with a spot in the final on the line
- The 2023 Rugby League Champions Cup Final takes place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, August 12
The 2023 Challenge Cup semifinals will get underway this weekend with two hotly-contested matches. St Helens will square off with Leigh on Saturday while Wigan will face Hull KR on Sunday with the winners advancing to the final at Wembley Stadium.
Before we examine the Rugby League Challenge Cup futures, check out the top Rugby Betting Sites in 2023 and stay up to date with the latest betting tips on the 2023 Rugby Union World Cup.
2023 Challenge Cup
| Team |  |  |  |
| St Helens | +105 | +105 | +105 |
| Wigan | +185 | +185 | +185 |
| Leigh | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Hull KR | +800 | +800 | +800 |
St Helens favored
St Helens (+105) is the favorite to win the 2023 Challenge Cup, but their title hopes took a massive blow last week. Both Mark Percival and James Roby suffered head injuries in their Super League loss to Catalans, ruling them out for Saturday’s semifinal at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium.
“They’re obviously two very important and influential players for us and have been for a long time,” said head coach Paul Wellens. If the Saints lose to Leigh, it will mean Roby has played his final Rugby League contest, having already announced that the 2023 season will be his last.
Semi-Final Saturday 👊 Bring it on
St. Helens Men & Women go to the Halliwell Jones Stadium looking to book our spots at Wembley
4,800+ of the Saints faithful have their tickets, with the South Stand sold out! #COYS | #HistoryInTheMaking
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) July 16, 2023
Can Leigh score semifinal upset?
Leigh (+550) is coming off a 34-14 victory over York in the Challenge Cup quarterfinals. The Leopards have won six of their last seven games overall, including a hard-fought 38-30 loss to Catalans in Super League action in late June. That same Dragons team just defeated the Saints 14-12 on Thursday.
Looking to reach their first final since 1971 and first major trophy since 1982, the Leopards are currently sitting in second in the Super League having won 12 of 18 games. While the four-time reigning Super League champions won’t go down easy, Leigh has a real shot in Saturday’s semifinal.
Wigan vs Hull KR
Wigan (+185) narrowly survived Warrington 14-12 in their Challenge Cup quarter-final after loose forward Kaide Ellis received a red card in the game’s first seven minutes. The Warriors are the league’s reigning champions and have captured Rugby League’s oldest cup competition a record 20 times.
Hull KR (+800) stomped Salford 28-10 in the quarters. If they can pull off the semifinal upset against Wigan, they’ll book their first trip to Wembley since 2015, when they were destroyed 50-0 by Leeds. However, the Rovers are underdogs for a reason. It’s hard to see them as true contenders given Leigh smoked them 34-4 under a month ago in Super League action.
Done deal ✅#RugbyLeague | #SuperLeague https://t.co/NIoGbQHWtt
— Love Rugby League (@loverugbyleague) July 16, 2023
Best Bet
Many are comparing the prospect of Leigh winning the championship to Leicester’s recent Premier League title. However, things certainly seem to be falling into place for Adrian Lam’s team.
With St Helens dealing with injuries heading into the semifinal, we think the Leopards (+550) score the upset en route to their first Challenge Cup victory in over a half-century.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
