Who will be victorious at Wembley this weekend?
Wednesday 20 August 2014 19:38, UK
This weekend Leeds and Castleford do battle at Wembley Stadium to compete in the final of the Tetley’s Challenge Cup, and this week the Boots 'N' All team discussed who they think will lift the trophy.
Leeds and Castleford compete for the trophy for the first time ever in the 113 years it has been on offer. Leeds last won the competition in 1999, and Castleford have been seeking to regain the trophy since 1986.
Terry O’Connor and John Kear joined Eddie Hemmings in the Boots ‘N’ All studio to discuss who they think will lift the trophy this year.
“I think they’ve added so much to Super League and they’ve certainly added a lot to this competition as well,” said Kear of Castleford, who he believes will win Saturday’s big final.
“This all-Yorkshire final looks set to be a real epic.
“I don’t really think there’s been a good final at the new Wembley yet.”
One of the big talking points in the lead up to the game has been whether or not prop Craig Huby will be fit to take the field.
“I don’t think Daryl Powell will take any risks,“ said Kear, “If Craig Huby is named on the team sheet he will be fully fit - but it will be a miraculous recovery.”
Terry O’Connor , who won the Challenge Cup while at Wigan, spoke of how impressed he was with Leeds coach Brian McDermott, who revealed his team at Monday’s press conference.
“That’s a confident attitude when a coach can do that in such a big game,” he said.
“A lot of these Leeds players - we all think they’ve won everything in the game - well they’ve not won the Challenge Cup.”
We've walked up the stairs on a few occasions and walked past that trophy and waved it goodbye, hopefully history can change,
Battle
When pressed for a prediction on the game itself, O’Connor also backed the Tigers.
“Whoever wins that battle in the middle, between Rob Burrow and Daryl Clark, that’s where it will be won.
“I’d like to see a very good final, and I think that Castleford could just do it.”
Leeds have lost their last six Challenge Cup finals and thier captain Kevin Sinfield spoke to Sky Sports ahead of Saturday’s match, when he described his desire for a different outcome at Wembley this weekend.
“I look forward to the game,” said Sinfield, “I think people expect you to be fearful of what’s to come - they expect you to be staring down the barrel of another defeat. but I don’t feel like that at all, I feel really excited by it.
“We’ve walked up the stairs on a few occasions and walked past that trophy and waved it goodbye, hopefully history can change,” he said.
