The make-up of Justin Holbrook’s 19-man selection might say something about the importance of this one. The Australian coach is bringing out the big guns, with England internationals Luke Thompson and Mark Percival both included after long injury lay-offs. Neither has featured since the Easter weekend which brought victories over Wigan and Hull FC. Also returning is Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, while Danny Richardson is in line for what would be his first appearance since the 50-14 chasing of Catalans Dragons on April 28.
Since then Theo Fages has been in the kind of form that raises the snout of everyone from Castleford Tigers to the great and the good of the NRL depending on which gossip-monger you believe. Unfortunately the Frenchman misses out this week with a concussion, so the onus is once again on Richardson. It’s a difficult situation for the young half whose attitude has been questioned in recent weeks. Richardson most likely knows that for as long as Fages is around there is no level of performance good enough to convince Holbrook to veer away from favouring the ex-Salford and Catalans man.
The return of Thompson, Percival and McCarthy-Scarsbrook means that there are no places in the squad for Kyle Amor, James Bentley or Adam Swift. The latter is now officially in his final year with Saints after signing a two-year deal with Hull FC this week. The winger will move to the KCom Stadium in 2020 after finding himself on the outside looking in for the most part since the emergence of Regan Grace. The Welshman has been outstanding since breaking into the first team but has reached another level again in 2019. There seemed little prospect of Swift winning back that left-wing berth in the longer term and so a move to Humberside seems the right decision for his career. Often criticised for his propensity to make errors bringing the ball away from his own line Swift has nevertheless had a fine career at Saints since making his debut in 2013 and goes east with the best wishes of this amateur scribe at the very least. Eighty-six tries in 126 outings in his home town colours is a record of which can be very proud indeed, and he will hopefully have more chances to add to that before saying his final goodbyes at the end of the season.
Completing the backline will most likely be Lachlan Coote at fullback, Kevin Naiqama in the centres alongside Percival, Tommy Makinson on the right wing and Jonny Lomax at stand-off. Matty Costello has been deputising for Percival and does make the 19, but you get the feeling that he will only be included if Holbrook decides that Percival is not quite ready to play the full 80 minutes.
Thompson’s return bolsters a pack that has been superbly led by Alex Walmsley in recent weeks. The form of the former Batley man has overshadowed even that of the peerless James Roby, while Matty Lees has taken the opportunity to gain some valuable experience as a starting prop in the absence of Thompson. Zeb Taia should celebrate his new one-year deal signed just today with another start in the second row alongside Dominique Peyroux. Taia will be with Saints until at least the end of the 2020 season after penning his new contract, all of which will allow us the privilege of watching him showcase his often criminally under-appreciated skills for another year while also giving Bentley and Joe Batchelor time to develop behind him. Morgan Knowles and Joseph Paulo will continue to share loose forward duties, while Jack Ashworth and Aaron Smith will likely vie for places on a bench that looks certain to include McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Paulo along with one of Lees or Thompson.
Wakefield have been suffering quietly with injuries so far in 2019, a situation which had led to alarming levels of inconsistency. Many tipped Trinity to be a major contender for the top five in Super League and they still may be, but over the last month they have beaten only Huddersfield Giants while managing to lose to all of Hull FC, London Broncos and Catalans Dragons. They might be glad of a chance to park their league ambitions for a week, although sitting as they do in sixth, level on points with fifth placed Castleford Tigers, they will know that if they can find some form in the latter stages of the season they could still make a run towards Old Trafford.
Yet if Saints 11 years without a Wembley appearance makes you wake up in the night screaming like a man who has just realised that he is Nigel Farage, spare a thought for Wakefield who have not been to the national stadium since losing 12-3 to Widnes back in 1979. They have not won the Challenge Cup since 1963 when a 25-10 win over Wigan brought them their second consecutive success in the competition after beating Huddersfield 12-6 in 1962. There are droughts and there are droughts.
To try to end his club’s hoodoo Chester has picked a strong-looking 19-man squad but he is again shorn of several of his key players. Wing sensation Tom Johnstone was lost for the season some time ago thanks to another serious knee injury, while centre Bill Tupou has not featured since the end of March due to a groin injury. Talismanic prop David Fifita hobbled out of the Magic Weekend defeat to Catalans Dragons at Anfield and misses out again and Tinirau Arona is another who is lost for the season.
There had been doubts over Mason Caton-Brown’s fitness but he makes the cut, with perhaps the most telling boost to Chester’s squad being the return from injury of motor-mouthed ref-botherer and elite halfback Danny Brough. The former Huddersfield Giant has been out with a hand injury for the last seven weeks but looks set to resume what was a key halfback partnership with the excellent Jacob Miller. Wakefield will need their craft and guile around the park behind a pack that is lacking not only Fifita but Pauli Pauli who is on loan at Salford Red Devils. He left in a swap deal with Junior S’au but the centre is not eligible to play in the cup for his temporary club. Wakefield will need big performances from the likes of Walmsley look-alike Anthony England, Kyle Wood and former Saint Matty Ashurst if they are going to match their hosts in the all-important trenches. One other side note to mention is that although Joe Batchelor does not make the Saints squad for this one his brother James is included in the Wakefield selection and could feature.
You have to go back 28 years to 1991 to find the last time Saints met Wakefield Trinity in the Challenge Cup. Back then tries from Alan Hunte and John Harrison helped Saints to a 16-2 victory in a second round tie at Knowsley Road. Saints went on to reach Wembley that year but were beaten 13-8 by a Wigan side picking up the fourth of its eight consecutive Challenge Cup final wins of that era thanks to tries from Frano Botica and the ill-fated David Myers.
Saints overall record against Wakefield is pretty handy. They have not lost at home to the West Yorkshire side since a particularly disastrous 16-12 reverse set the wheels in motion for Keiron Cunningham’s exit from the club in 2017. Before that Saints were unbeaten at home against Trinity since a side featuring Brough in his first spell with the club won 22-20 at Knowsley Road in 2009. Warrington centre Ryan Atkins was also in the Wakfield line-up that day but we cannot confirm whether he claimed any tries without getting within five metres of the line.
Despite their injury list this Wakefield outfit looks a good deal stronger on paper than the sides of that vintage. The salary cap and some shrewd management from Chester has catapulted Trinity back towards the game’s leading lights to the extent that it would not be a seismic shock if they were the team to advance from this one to the final four at Bolton on July 27. Not seismic, but still a shock given the current form of Saints, particularly in dismantling Castleford at Anfield last time out. If that Saints side shows up expect Holbrook’s side to progress by something in the region of 18 points.
Squads;
St Helens;
1. Jonny Lomax 2. Tommy Makinson 3. Kevin Naiqama 4. Mark Percival 5. Regan Grace 7. Danny Richardson 8. Alex Walmsley 9. James Roby 10. Luke Thompson 11. Zeb Taia 12. Joseph Paulo 13. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook 15. Morgan Knowles 17. Dom Peyroux 19. Matty Lees 20. Jack Ashworth 21. Aaron Smith 23. Lachlan Coote 24. Matty Costello
Wakfield Trinity
Matty Ashurst, James Batchelor, Danny Brough, Mason Caton-Brown, Jack Croft, Jordan Crowther, Anthony England, Ryan Hampshire, Keegan Hirst, Ben Jones-Bishop, Lee Kershaw, George King, Danny Kirmond, Craig Kopczak, Reece Lyne, Jacob Miller, Tyler Randell, Kelepi Tanginoa, Kyle Wood
Referee: Chris Kendall
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