THE two teams many pundits are tipping to lead the Super League promotion race will do battle in the inaugural Arriva Trains Cup Final on Sunday.

Leigh Centurions and Salford City Reds are the bookies' favourites to contest the National League One Grand Final in October and the ATC showdown at Rochdale's Spotland ground is being touted as a dress rehearsal.

But the competition has attracted enough attention this year to be seen as a stand-along event - and that's certainly the way Centurions head coach Paul Terzis sees it.

"To be involved in any final is great and something that goes down in the history of the club," Terzis says.

"It will be a great day out for all the supporters.

"There were 4000 at Hilton Park for the league match between the two teams recently and I think there will be far more than that at the final.

"There are not many opportunities in the career of a player or a coach to figure in a final and we want to make the most of it.

"It has been a tough competition and we have played 12 games to get here but I feel the two best teams will be there on the day."

The Centurions received a double injury boost before going into camp to prepare for the Final. Medics have given the all-clear to Alan Hadcroft (dislocated toe) and Dale Cardoza (shoulder) and both are expected to be in the squad. Neil Turley came through his comeback last Sunday without any problems.

Major absentee

One major absentee will be hooker Paul Rowley who has still not fully recovered from a fractured hand while Lee Sanderson will have to sit out the next month after suffering a torn hamstring against Hull KR last weekend.

Terzis sees no reason why Leigh can't pick up the silverware despite failing to beat the Reds in three previous meetings this season.

"Salford might think they have the advantage, especially after what happened two weeks ago, but we know that they can't perform much better than that while we could hardly have played any worse.

"The player knew they had let themselves down against Salford and responded with a top class effort against Hull KR. They took the Salford defeat personally and now are confident enough to go on and win this final.