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Westwood relishing responsibility

Image: Westwood: Responsibility

Ben Westwood is relishing the central role he is playing in a season which sees Warrington pursuing glory on two fronts.

Second rower happy to perform extra role ahead of Challenge Cup final

Ben Westwood is relishing the central role he is playing in a season which sees Warrington pursuing glory on two fronts. The second rower is in outstanding form ahead of this weekend's Carnegie Challenge Cup final against Leeds and has also been instrumental in the Wolves' Super League surge. Not only has Westwood been hard-working in defence and dynamic in attack, he has also stepped up to take goal-kicking responsibilities for Tony Smith's side. He scored 16 points in Warrington's win over Hull at the weekend and wants more of the same against the Rhinos at Wembley on Saturday. "It is all part of being a rugby player," Westwood said. "Goal-kicking is added pressure but something I look forward to doing. "I practise my goal-kicking and everything else every day. Anything I can do to help the team I am going to do it. "I'm pleased with my own form. I've been playing all right coming into the final and I just hope I can keep it up." Westwood helped Warrington to Challenge Cup success last year but now wants to add more silverware to his growing list of plaudits. He added: "Winning it last year has pushed us on this year to get there again. "Once you've won one trophy you get the bug. If we can come away with a win I'm sure everyone will come back buzzing raring to go for the next one."

Confident

The next one is, of course, the Super League title with the third-placed Wolves likely to feature prominently in the play-offs. Westwood said: "We'll try to get this win out of the way first and then we'll go into the play-offs confident, hopefully, and looking to step it up a bit. "We are a confident team. We seem to be able to turn on our game when it comes to the Challenge Cup, against Super League teams as well. "We've just got one more game to go now, the final. It is going to be a difficult task but one we are looking forward to." Maintaining his form could also earn Westwood further recognition in the shape of an England Four Nations call-up this autumn. Westwood, who featured in England's mid-season international against France, added: "I do think about that but I'm not concentrating on it yet. "I will wait and see what happens with Warrington and we'll see what happens then."

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