WOLVES have revealed how they have overcome injury woes this week to tough it out against a confident Leigh side to march into the semi finals of the Challenge Cup.

Tony Smith, Wolves’ head of coaching and rugby,highlighted how he lost the services of right-flank partnership Joel Monaghan and Chris Bridge on Tuesday and that thigh-strapped full back Stefan Ratchford was ‘touch and go’ in a race to be fit.

Wolves went into the tie with 18 fit players, half back Declan Patton being the one to miss out.

With doubts surrounding any additional players being available for the visit by Wigan on Thursday, and back rower James Laithwaite being ruled out for the season after suffering a spiral fracture of his fibula today, Wolves are down to the bare bones.

Monaghan is ruled out for four weeks with a grade two calf tear and scan results on Bridge’s hip flexor are awaited to see when the centre could return.

And now the remaining fit men, with the possible inclusion of Matty Russell and Toby King, have to recover quickly to hoist Wigan at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on Thursday, kick off 8pm.

Smith said: “We’re losing a few at the moment and that’s the test of Super League.

“Stef only trained yesterday for the first time. We weren’t sure if he was going to make it. He’s been struggling with a dead leg and we were looking at a bare 17 players if he didn’t make it.

“It’s the same at a lot of other clubs, we’re not crying poorly, but we’ve been at eight or nine absences for six weeks or so now.

“Fingers crossed we may get Matty Rusell back this week, and maybe Toby, but we’re down to the bare bones and we’ve got one of the best teams coming on the back of another short turnaround for us. It’s a good challenge for us.”

As for Laithwaite's injury, Smith said: "It's the third time he has broken that ankle. He's in the right place getting cared for but I'm gutted for him.

"He was filling in at centre today and doing a fine job until then. He's obviously finished for the year and I'm gutted for him."

Currently sidelined through injury are:

Joel Monaghan, Rhys Evans, Matty Russell, Chris Bridge, Toby King, Gary Wheeler, James Laithwaite, Simon Grix, Ben Evans.

Currently suspended:

Anthony England.