UP for the Cup?
I certainly am, even if yet again there’s been no invitation to either semi-final from the RFL for one of their Hall of Fame members who has constantly championed their flagship competition.
I’m not expecting one to Wembley on Saturday, June 8 either, but I’m still very much looking forward to what will be the 123rd final – and proud to say I was involved in the 84th in 1985, although I was on the losing side as Hull went down 28-24 to Wigan beneath the Twin Towers.
Even if the powers-that-be have allowed it to lose its sparkle, I still love the Challenge Cup, with all its history, and going by those I speak to, most current players do as well.
Finals are scarce, especially in the modern game, and I’m sure there will be an air of anticipation and excitement in all four semi-final camps this week as Hull KR, Wigan, Huddersfield and Warrington prepare to try and reach one.
It’s been a quirk of the Super League fixture list that the four of them have been involved in two round-eleven fixtures, although they were different to the semi-finals, with Warrington beating Hull KR then Wigan defeating Huddersfield.
Now we have Hull KR taking on Wigan in the first semi-final on Saturday, before Huddersfield face Warrington on Sunday.
Both are mouth-watering ties providing plenty of talking points.
Rovers versus Wigan is, of course, a repeat of last year’s semi, when recently-arrived Brad Schneider kicked a golden-point drop-goal for the second match running (the first was against Leeds in the league) to send his side to Wembley.
Brad is now at Penrith Panthers, and there have been quite a few other changes to the Rovers squad, but it’s still a solid core who will clearly recall the heartbreak of golden-point defeat by Leigh in last year’s final, and will be desperate to earn a chance to go back to Wembley and try to bring the trophy to the East side of Hull for only the second time.
Wigan, of course, are the Challenge Cup kings, with that dramatic 16-14 final win over Huddersfield at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium two years ago, sealed by Liam Marshall’s late try, their 20th success in 33 finals, with no other club coming close to either tally.
I’ve read that Saturday will be their 51st Challenge Cup semi-final, and make no mistake, losing last year, when they were the holders, will still rankle.
Whatever Wigan say about that being in the past and this being a different match, I reckon they will want revenge.
And let’s be fair, that club love Wembley, and there will be even more motivation from the chance of getting there for the first time since 2017, when they lost to Hull (and how that must seem such a long time ago for the black-and-white faithful after the decline of their club in recent times).
In terms of form going into the final, Rovers will have been very disappointed by their 20-8 defeat at Warrington on Thursday, when victory would have put them top of Super League, however briefly, for the first time.
That shows the progress made in recent years, and while they dipped at the Halliwell Jones, having also lost at Catalans last month, other performances have been of real quality, as their recent league wins over Wigan and St Helens showed.
That also means that Wille Peters’ side has no need to feel any intimidation going into the game, although the coach will be trying to address a few defensive issues that were thrown up against Warrington, because Matt Peet will obviously have been watching.
As reigning Super League champions, Wigan have already shown their desire to keep hold of the title this year, and as I’ve often said, Matt has got his side playing both entertaining and highly-effective rugby.
This is a really intriguing semi-final in so many ways, and a really hard one to call, but with the pressure more on Wigan, I just have a feeling that Rovers will get the job done, and I’m saying by a ten-point margin.
While Rovers missed out on hitting the top of the table, Warrington (or should I say Sam Burgess’ Warrington, as seems to be their new name?) managed it with a second successive victory and their eighth in the league this season.
Sam certainly seems to be making his mark, and they made a bit of a statement of Challenge Cup intent with that convincing quarter-final win against St Helens.
They’ve got a very decent recent record in this competition, with four wins in six final appearances since 2019, although the last of them was five years ago, when they beat Saints.
A Wembley return would be a big thing for Sam and the club, but Huddersfield won’t be easy to overcome, because while they have been huffing and puffing on occasions this year, on their day, they are a good side with plenty of quality in the ranks and one who can match anyone.
They came agonisingly close to a final triumph at Tottenham, and will have a real desire to reach another final, this time at Wembley, and go one better.
It’s another contest to really look forward to, and another that is hard to predict.
I just think Warrington, with George Williams and Matt Dufty to the fore, will have the edge, and get through by 14 points to make it a Wolves-Rovers showpiece.
Trinity impress
WHY can’t IMG and the RFL get their heads together and sort a broadcast deal for the Championship?
I see Sky Sports are to expand their English Football League coverage next season, so why aren’t we looking to get something in place for our competitions outside Super League?
I’ve already seen and enjoyed a few Championship matches this year, most recently Bradford against Widnes.
And I’ve got more in the diary, with quite a few invitations from various clubs, for which I’m grateful.
I have to say I’ve been impressed with Matt Ellis’ work since taking over Wakefield.
Relegation from Super League didn’t put him off, and while I had initial concerns that he was doing too much talking, he is so far walking the walk, not just by funding some great recruitment, but with impressive initiatives to get the Wakefield public on board.
And Daryl Powell’s team have clearly taken to the second tier well, with seven wins from seven so far.
Trinity have the advantage of being full-time, but also know that they are the team everyone else especially wants to beat.
They seem to be taking the right attitude to playing outside the top-flight, and staying unbeaten all season, while a big ask, will be their target.
A sad goodbye
I’D like to send my condolences to the family and friends of Roy Sharples, a great servant to and supporter of Rugby League, the amateur game in particular, who has died at the age of 86.
Roy was a smashing bloke who was a big Thatto Heath Crusaders and Lancashire ARL man, but always had the good of the sport overall in his thinking.
I enjoyed my chat with Roy, whose love of our game really shone through, at the funeral of another fine BARLA servant Maurice Oldroyd last year, and was very sad to hear of his death.
First published in League Express newspaper, Issue 3,430 (May 13, 2024)
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