For many rugby league followers, Sunday’s Challenge Cup semi-finals provide the sport’s most prestigious competition with a long overdue occasion. While the Wembley final remains the thriving centrepiece of the domestic calendar, the semi-finals have undoubtedly stagnated in recent years.
The announcement from the RFL in May to merge the two games into one double-header at Bolton this weekend was met with unanimous positivity – a rarity in rugby league. The decision has already proven worthwhile. Over the last three years, attendances for the semi-finals have failed even to average 12,000 but this Sunday there will be a sellout crowd of 28,000.
Divided across four teams that may not seem like much of a climb, but for a sport that craves prime time, terrestrial attention, a five-hour festival of rugby on the BBC will showcase a great image for the Challenge Cup – still regarded by some to be dying – in aesthetic terms, too.
The main event is between sides who have won the cup 21 times between them but have endured very different seasons. “We don’t need any relief from the league,” said the Leeds director of rugby, Kevin Sinfield.
In the quarter-finals, Sinfield was working as a pundit – now he is tasked with helping Leeds reach Wembley by beating double-chasing Warrington and also securing their Super League status in the Qualifiers following a torrid league campaign.
“For this group to be involved in a big game again is good,” he says. “We’re 80 minutes away from Wembley and we embrace that.”
Yet despite the return of Sinfield and Warrington’s pursuit of a first cup triumph in six seasons, it is perhaps the opening game that provides the greater intrigue.
When the draw was made eight weeks ago, there were celebrations at St Helens when they were pitched against Catalans. Then, the Dragons were in woeful form – now, they are one of Super League’s form sides.
It is only two years since the opposing coaches were working together at the NRL side Sydney Roosters. “Steve McNamara has done a great job turning things around there,” says his St Helens counterpart, Justin Holbrook.
Catalans will be without two key players in the suspended Greg Bird and the injured Jodie Broughton but the side from Perpignan cannot be ruled out as they eye their first piece of silverware in their short history. “As a young boy growing up in England, you dream of playing in a cup final,” McNamara says. “These opportunities do not come around too often and we intend to make the most of it.”
