St Helens winger Regan Grace insists he is not feeling the pressure of trying to end the club’s long run without Challenge Cup glory.
Saints have not lifted rugby league’s oldest and most famous trophy since beating Hull FC at Wembley in 2008.
Grace was part of the side defeated by Warrington Wolves in 2019 but has helped the club to win back-to-back Super League titles in the past two seasons.
“It’s weird because I didn’t really watch a lot of rugby league growing up,” the 24-year-old told Rugby League Live.
“But the Challenge Cup final was always on terrestrial television on the BBC, so they were the only games I watched.
“That was my first taste of rugby league and it would always be big teams like Saints or Wigan playing.
“I’d love to win the Challenge Cup and expectations are there because we’ve got a team to do it.
“We’ve got the tools to get the job done – now we just have to go and do it.
“We’re aware how long it has been since St Helens won the Challenge Cup.
“But for me it doesn’t really put any pressure on me because the only chance I’ve had was when we got to the final two years ago and didn’t win it.
“The ‘2008 thing’ doesn’t get to me as much. I was only a kid then and I’m more worried about the here and now.”
Grace has already realised a dream by winning two Grand Final and he admits he would love to add a Challenge Cup final winner’s medal to his collection.
He added: “Wembley is one of the biggest stages you can play on in rugby league.
“What happened against Warrington in 2019 is still quite fresh because it wasn’t that long ago, so we’ll be looking to improve on that performance and get the win.
“I didn’t play badly two years ago, but as a team we weren’t very good.
“We were slow to get started and didn’t really adapt to the game – Warrington played a lot better on the day.
“Yet we’ve proved that we can win the big games in the past two Grand Finals and we’re desperate to add the Challenge Cup to our trophy haul.”
Grace will be backed at Wembley by his mum Debbie, two of his younger siblings and his long-term girlfriend Nina.
His close friends and former team-mates from his amateur rugby union club Aberavon Harlequins in his hometown of Port Talbot will also be in attendance.
“I think there are quite a few of them getting the train from Wales to Wembley,” explained Grace.
“They will make a day of it. I love their support, it’s pretty much the same group of boys there now as when I was playing there.
“Most of them are still involved in the club somehow. Every now and then a good group of them will come up to St Helens to watch a game and we will go out afterwards.
“I’m very proud to be from Port Talbot and proud to be representing my town and the people of Wales this weekend.”
