Leigh had not won at Leeds since April 1984, in the now-defunct Slalom Lager Championship, so this win on Sunday perhaps underlines perfectly the direction of travel in which these clubs find themselves. Six days before a first Wembley final in more than 50 years, the Leopards could have been forgiven had they taken their eye off the ball here. They had every excuse to lose this game, but losing is not something this team do that often.
This is a club with more on their mind than just the Challenge Cup. Leigh were playing in the Championship last season but there is now a growing possibility of a top-two finish in their first season back in Super League. This victory was built firmly on a magnificent defensive effort, the perfect way to warm up for Wembley and the cup final against Hull Kingston Rovers next weekend.
