SAINTS take on a Leeds Rhinos tonight for the third time this season – but despite winning the previous two encounters they will not be taking the visitors lightly.

Although the Rhinos have under-performed this season – producing a mixed bag of results – Saints coach Paul Wellens is still very wary of the threat the Rhinos pose.

That outlook is influenced by recalling the Super League encounter in early spring when the Rhinos had Saints clinging on and scrambling for most of the first half.

Saints recovered on that night to triumph 18-8 and returned to Headingley the following week in the Challenge Cup where they triumphed 20-6.

Saints are currently joint leaders with three other teams – Wigan, Warrington and Catalans -and will move into top spot with a win tonight with the others playing tomorrow or Sunday.

Leeds are seventh, with a played 11 won 6 lost 5 record and will be keen to get a hook into the season to pull themselves back into the top six.

That, plus the enduring rivalry between Saints and Leeds, will ensure that Saints will be wary on the unorthodox threat posed by Rohan Smith’s side.

Wellens said: “We have got a huge amount to respect for Leeds as a club and we have played them in numerous big games over the years and we look forward to again another huge challenge on Friday.

“We had two hard contests against them earlier on this year. We also had two games last year that went down to Golden Point – one each way.

“That just shows the competitive nature of the Saints v Leeds fixture and it seems to always have been that way.

“There are slightly contrasting styles, and that makes for an intriguing contest also.

“But we have got a huge amount to respect for Leeds as a club and we have played them in numerous big games over the years and we look forward to again another huge challenge on the weekend.”

Leeds like to move the ball with an expansive style that has troubled Saints this year against the likes of Hull KR and Warrington – and Rhinos possess some very able and speedy players.

Wellens accepts that Leeds’ unorthodox style can present its challenges to defend against when they run hot and get out of dummy half quickly.

He said: “They can be unorthodox and we found that out at the start of the year when we when we played in the Super League game were they spent 25 minutes at the start of the game running us off the park.

“We're well aware of their dangers - they're really competitive side and very expansive and like to move the ball.

“That presents its challenges - challenges that we're working hard in training to overcome and hopefully that will reflect in our performance on Friday.

“There are slightly contrasting styles, and that makes for an intriguing contest also.”