Allen Rooney
BBC Radio Merseyside

Saints are under the cosh here, but they're defending well. They're facing a third set of six.

Really good set by Wigan forces a goal-line drop-out. Hammered on the Saints line around about 10 metres out. Tommy Leuluai's kick tapped behind.

From the resulting drop-out Wigan get a penalty... pouring pressure now!

My colleague Steve makes a good point that Saints could feasibly have worn their white home shirt with red vee today. No major clash with this near all-red Wigan jersey.

Smart kick from Matty Smith turns Wigan round and gives Saints chance to walk to the scrum and take in a few precious gulps of oxygen.

Big shift left from Wigan gets them downfield and when the ball is whizzed right, Mark Percival fumbles a kick. Wigan scrum.

Couple of big carries get Wigan to half-way first set, and a last tackle kick from Morgan Escare goes into the corner.

Regan Grace is the target, gets his first taste of contact in a Wigan-Saints derby.

Both sides had a set-apiece. This will be an arm-wrestle I reckon.

Whether it's the departure of Keiron Cunningham, salary cap chat or just your thoughts on the 2017 season so far, why not get in touch?

Personally I've enjoyed the season so far - Castleford and Salford have been a breath of fresh air.

In the Championship, I've been impressed by Bradford's battle to overhaul their points deficit and Toulouse continue to rise, while of course there is Toronto down in League One, matched so far by Barrow Raiders.

Got a view? Use the #bbcrl hashtag.

All fire and brimstone, tensions high, nerves jangling.

Ben Thaler blows on his whistle and Matty Smith gets us underway against his old club.

Wigan bring the ball away first carry. Game on.

Right, enough chatter and natter. Now it's time to get this game underway.

Let's have some bash and crash, skills and thrills.

Teams on their way out.

Image source, SWPIX.COM

Wales international Regan Grace comes into the St Helens side to make a derby debut with Jonny Lomax injured, a big test of character for the 20-year-old.

Formerly with the South Wales Scorpions - and Ospreys rugby union - Grace was part of the all-conquering Saints academy team of 2016 that demolished their division.

He plays on the wing, with Tommy Makinson moving to full-back.

Image source, Swpix.com

The stand-out name on the Wigan teamsheet this afternoon is that of hooker Michael McIlorum after a 14-month absence.

McIlorum, 29, injured his ankle in the 2016 World Club Challenge defeat by Brisbane Broncos, and a further set-back meant he missed the start of this season as well.

However, the England international is passed fit, and will likely come off the bench with Sam Powell deservedly keeping his starting place - having starred in his absence.

Wigan: Escare; Davies, Gelling, Burgess, Marshall; Williams, Leuluai; Nuuausala, Powell, Flower, Tomkins, Farrell, O'Loughlin

Replacements: Tautau, Sutton, Isa, McIlorum

St Helens: Makinson; Grace, Percival, Morgan, Swift; Fages, Smith; Amor, Lee, Douglas, Taia, Wilkin, McCarthy-Scarsbrook

Replacements: Walmsley, Thompson, Richards, Knowles

Image source, SWPIX.COM

If the mood at Saints has been downbeat, there has been more to cheer across the old Billinge lump at Wigan.

Star stand-off George Williams signed a new four-year deal with the Cherry and Whites, a move that took advantage of the new altered salary cap rules for 2018 onwards.

The 22-year-old's deal comes under the Marquee Player bracket, meaning as he is a homegrown player only £75,000 of his salary counts against the £1.9m cap from next season.

Image source, SWPIX.COM

It's been an emotional build up to this game for St Helens, if a looming derby didn't stretch the nerve fibres enough.

After 24 years as a player, assistant and then head coach, not to mention having a statue voted for by fans outside the ground, Keiron Cunningham was dismissed from his post on Monday following a disappointing start to the 2017 campaign.

In his place, the coaching triumvirate of Jamahl Lolesi, Sean Long and Derek Traynor will guide the Saints into this most competitive of rivalries.

Image source, Swpix.com

With four Super League games on the agenda today, there's plenty of excitement to kick off your weekend.

Wigan v St Helens is where we begin. It's been quite a week for both.

Image source, SWPIX.COM

It's that somewhat dreaded time of year again where Super League's battle-hardened players go through their toughest physical challenge of the season - the Easter double header.

While the rest of the country prepares for a weekend of booze, chocolate or prayer and quiet reflection, the elite of rugby league put their bodies under the pressure of two games in four days.

Easter also means derbies, and perhaps the fiercest rivalry of them all to kick us off this afternoon. Wigan v St Helens. Or as the social media hashtag for this match states - Us versus Them. It's going to be a corker.