Leeds wait on injured duo

Leeds have not given up hope of having centres Kallum Watkins and Carl Ablett in their Challenge Cup final line-up.

Ablett, a specialist back-rower who has spent the last three months deputising for the injured Keith Senior, is expected to shake off an ankle injury he picked up in Saturday's 32-22 Super League defeat at Harlequins.

But Watkins is rated no more than 50-50 to line up against Wigan at Wembley as he battles to overcome a knee injury sustained in the same match.

Leeds coach Brian McDermott said Watkins was "not looking good" after the game but scans have revealed the injury is not as serious as first feared.

"There wasn't severe damage in terms of having surgery," said Watkins at the Rhinos' pre-Wembley media day. "There is a lot of swelling in my knee. I'm 50-50 so there's still a chance I could play."

The 20-year-old Watkins has been dogged by injury over the last two years.

He missed virtually the whole of last season after undergoing a knee reconstruction, which reduced him to the role of spectator as Leeds lost to Warrington at Wembley, and was sidelined for three months earlier this year with a wrist injury.

"I've not had the best of luck," he said. "I'm 20 and I've had a few injuries but it's a learning process for me as a person and a player as well. It's life.

"I just fell on it awkwardly and banged it into the ground. It's my bad knee. It's a case of waiting and hoping."

McDermott will announce his 19-man squad on Thursday but is likely to delay finalising his team until the day of the game in order to give Watkins as much time as possible to recover.