Preston Grasshoppers aim to give Paul Arnold a huge send-off

They travel to Wigan to take on Widnes, who finished in second place in the ADM Premier Division and reached the final by narrowly defeating Rochdale.

Hoppers themselves won an even closer semi-final at Blackburn, going through as the away team in a drawn game.

The trophy last came to Lightfoot Green in 2012, adding to Preston’s successes in 2003 and 2006.

Widnes’s only cup final triumph was in 1976.

Hoppers have one or two regulars unavailable, including the North Premier League’s top try scorer Matt Lamprey.

So Sam Gale is at No.8, with Declan Norrington in the second row.

Rob Bramhall is also in the back row, Olli Trippier props and Harry Holden is at hooker.

The final brings the local season to a close as Lancashire have no chance of reaching the Bill Beaumont County Championship final due to the truncated and rather unsatisfactory format this year.

Getting to play only two group games and losing in Leeds leaves the Red Rose merely looking on as Cheshire go for the win that will see them pip Yorkshire for a place at Twickenham.

HOPPERS: Browne; Clapham, Stott, B Dorrington, Spence; Pearson, Moulding; Trippier, Holden, Altham, Norrington, Murray, Bramhall, Harrison, Gale. Replacements: Leatham, Parkinson, Fryer, Walker, Squirrell.