Harry Smith lays down challenge to Wigan Warriors teammates after semi-final win

[josie andrews]

The young halfback navigated his side to the Final on Saturday.

Wigan Warriors scrum-half Harry Smith has urged his side to maintain their winning momentum heading into the Challenge Cup final. Matty Peet’s side toppled sworn enemies St Helens at Elland Road on Saturday to seal a date with Huddersfield Giants at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 28.

Peet’s impressive work in his debut season has encouraged hopes of a genuine renaissance at the DW Stadium but Smith says they cannot ease up on the Super League front. The Warriors - who currently lie joint top with Saints - travel to Huddersfield on Thursday and then Hull FC before taking on the Giants in the capital at the end of the month.

Smith said: “I feel the work that we put in pre-season with the new coaching staff is really showing. Hopefully that can continue for the rest of the season and obviously the Challenge Cup final. I think I’ll let the semi-final win sink in for a few days and then we’ll move onto the final.

“The final will be the biggest game of my career and hopefully we can finish the job off with a win. There are a lot of lads who are my age who have come through the academy, so it’s just extra special to be able to do it with them. Hopefully we can be in these games for years to come.

“We just spoke about keeping level heads but we can’t look past the bigger picture of the next two Super League games and building into the final, like we did for the semi. We want to go into the final with momentum.”

After Saturday’s win, which saw Wigan reach their first Challenge Cup final appearance in five years, Smith said: “I just feel on top of the world.

“We spoke about it all week as being a massive game that would be decided in the closing minutes. That’s what happened and it just needed effort. I felt we showed that and deserved the win. We just spoke about being composed and showing the right reaction when things went against us. We did that and the momentum started to swing in our favour.

When we got that try I think we put the game to bed really well. It’s a massive confidence booster for the whole team and the whole club. We spoke about how we want to be in these big games – and how we’ve not been in them for a while – and this club deserves to be there. To be able to do it so soon, with this group, is magical. It’s brilliant.”

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... p-23909304