Wigan Warriors V St Helens: OPINION: The Good Friday Derby is a vital asset to rugby league and both towns involved

The Good Friday Derby- is there anything else quite like it in rugby league?

Fixtures between Wigan and Saints just have something special about them.

Both towns have their similarities, both clubs have enjoyed success, and both sets of fans are passionate.

These factors are among the things that create such a great occasion.

Over 23,000 fans will be inside the DW Stadium on Friday afternoon, which just demonstrates the magnitude of the game.

It’s the type of match that attracts more than just the regulars.

If you wanted one match- outside of a final- to advertise rugby league, then it would be this one.

It has everything you could ask for both on and off the field.

It’s a vital asset to the sport and both towns involved.

The last time the Warriors hosted the Good Friday fixture was 2019, which feels like a lifetime ago.

Since then we’ve been through an entire pandemic, as well as our fair share of lockdowns.

Last year’s game at the Totally Wicked Stadium was a true reminder of what we had been missing, and while the Warriors did host Saints at home back in August, nothing is quite the same as the Easter round.

Such an event is quite the rarity, making it a big thing for the town.

Along with a big FA Cup tie or the occasional international game, the Good Friday Derby is one of the few things that have attracted big crowds to the DW in recent times.

It’s just a fantastic sight to see, especially if the sun is shining down.

The noise from both ends of the stadium send shivers down your spine.

As a reporter it’s the type of fixture you just love to cover, so you can only imagine what it is like for the players.

Of course, Wigan V Saints is not the only fixture on Good Friday, with a Hull Derby also taking place.

No doubt anyone located in East Yorkshire would say the fixture at the MKM Stadium is the biggest game of the day, but we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

We can only appreciate it as a fantastic weekend all round for rugby league.