Challenge Cup final: Ian Watson picks out four Wigan Warriors players for his Huddersfield Giants side to be wary of
Posted: Wed May 25, 2022 8:22 pm
Huddersfield head coach Ian Watson has singled out four Wigan Warriors stars for his side to keep under wraps.
The two teams go head-to-head in the Challenge Cup final this Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Watson states Huddersfield’s 32-22 victory over Wigan in Super League last month will have no impact on the showpiece occasion.
He said: “You can pick out a little bit of the foundations from the last match, but we rested eight players and they rested seven.
So because it was so different in terms of personnel there’s not been much reading into it, this is a one-off game.
“We are expecting a physical encounter for sure.
"Matty has built them into a team that’s really physical defensively, which I know is something he wants them to pride themselves on going forward.
“Everyone has also spoken about how much better they are attacking this year as well, so they’ve probably got threats across the field.
You look at the big ones in Jai Field and Cade Cust, or John Bateman and Liam Farrell.
"We need to be well aware of those threats, but focus on ourselves and make sure we do our job properly.
“All the big games come down to small margins and making sure you take your opportunity when they arise.
"It’s going to be a big game and hopefully our stars can make sure we get the win.”
Watson hopes this can be the start of a consistent period of success for Huddersfield, on the same weekend where the football team is also competing in the Championship play-off final for a place in the Premier League.
“It’s a huge weekend for the community and the club, it’ll be a big occasion for us all at the weekend,” he added.
"Hopefully we can pack out the stadium on Saturday to help us on our way to a good win.“We want to build that legacy where we are competing for trophies every year.“We don’t want to just be competing every 12 years, we want to be there all the time, going for Grand Finals and Challenge Cups.”
https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... of-3707127
The two teams go head-to-head in the Challenge Cup final this Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Watson states Huddersfield’s 32-22 victory over Wigan in Super League last month will have no impact on the showpiece occasion.
He said: “You can pick out a little bit of the foundations from the last match, but we rested eight players and they rested seven.
So because it was so different in terms of personnel there’s not been much reading into it, this is a one-off game.
“We are expecting a physical encounter for sure.
"Matty has built them into a team that’s really physical defensively, which I know is something he wants them to pride themselves on going forward.
“Everyone has also spoken about how much better they are attacking this year as well, so they’ve probably got threats across the field.
You look at the big ones in Jai Field and Cade Cust, or John Bateman and Liam Farrell.
"We need to be well aware of those threats, but focus on ourselves and make sure we do our job properly.
“All the big games come down to small margins and making sure you take your opportunity when they arise.
"It’s going to be a big game and hopefully our stars can make sure we get the win.”
Watson hopes this can be the start of a consistent period of success for Huddersfield, on the same weekend where the football team is also competing in the Championship play-off final for a place in the Premier League.
“It’s a huge weekend for the community and the club, it’ll be a big occasion for us all at the weekend,” he added.
"Hopefully we can pack out the stadium on Saturday to help us on our way to a good win.“We want to build that legacy where we are competing for trophies every year.“We don’t want to just be competing every 12 years, we want to be there all the time, going for Grand Finals and Challenge Cups.”
https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... of-3707127
.