It is often said you have to go through the bad times in sport to truly experience the good times: that is certainly applicable to Kevin Sinfield’s relationship with the Challenge Cup.
The Leeds Rhinos captain is preparing for his seventh and last appearance in the final of the famous competition next Saturday as Leeds look to retain the trophy they won at Wembley 12 months ago, a victory that ended a nightmare sequence for Sinfield and Leeds.
The 34-year-old had lost his five previous finals – he was also left out in 2000 when he had played in all the previous rounds – before the triumph against Castleford, the club’s first since 1999. As Leeds prepare to face Hull Kingston Rovers, Sinfield says his record in the Challenge Cup had hung over him and the Rhinos. “There’s been a few moments that have haunted me,” he says “You grow to deal with certain things though and I’ve dealt with everything it’s thrown at me now.
“I believe that everything happens for a reason. There’s been some tough times in this competition and you start to walk away thinking whether you want to go through it all again and question whether it’s easier to go out in an earlier round to avoid the pain of losing at Wembley. But getting the win last year was all about persevering and not giving up.
“I’d stopped thinking about what it would be like to win. I just wanted to experience winning so much and get the feeling of being vindicated and satisfied, those are moments that are very difficult to come by in your career”
In his final season with Leeds before he switches codes to play rugby union for Yorkshire Carnegie, the game’s third-highest points-scorer of all-time says he is going to try to enjoy his final appearance at Wembley as a rugby league player and that the Cup still remains as attractive as ever. “You still get the same buzz,” he says. “We won it last year and knowing mine and the club’s history with the Challenge Cup recently – which hasn’t been great – there was so much relief. It’s brought that level of excitement back for me. It’s an occasion for the whole family and it’s different to anything else.”
Sinfield will overtake Eric Ashton’s record of being captain in six Challenge Cup finals and he says: “I want to enjoy it for different reasons. Last year was about proving a point in many ways. It proved that if you persevere with something you can overcome it, but the overriding emotion was relief.
“To walk up those steps and get your winner’s medal meant everything and this year, knowing that the monkey isn’t there, gives a slightly different feel to it. Hopefully, we can go and enjoy the day and get the job done.
“But although we’re relaxed and focused we’re acutely aware we haven’t won anything this year yet, but we do have a great opportunity ahead of us.”
