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Challenge Cup 2007 *Quarterfinals*

deluded pom?

Coach
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10,897
From a Hull point of view this is the best possible draw they could have had. Your first priority would be a home draw and of the seven other teams the Cats would probably be the one you would choose. Having said that Hull are playing poorly at the moment and a win for the Cats wouldn't be a huge surprise. Either way the winners are just eighty minutes from Wembley.
 

bartman

Immortal
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41,022
* Merge and Bump *

This weekend's game times and UK TV coverage:

The 2007 Carnegie Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals

Friday 8th June 2007
Wigan Warriors v Harlequins RL (ko 8:00pm)

Saturday 9th June 2007
St Helens v Warrington Wolves (ko 12:15pm) - BBC1 TV

Sunday 10th June 2007
Bradford Bulls v Huddersfield Giants (ko 2:15pm) - BBC2 TV
Hull FC v Catalans Dragons (ko 3:15pm)
 

bartman

Immortal
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41,022
Yes, they did it a bit tough after starting with a fortunate score in the 2nd minute.

Two close games in two weeks probably questions any benefit of "resting" players en masse.
 

Fairleigh Good!

Juniors
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1,185
bartman said:
Yes, they did it a bit tough after starting with a fortunate score in the 2nd minute.

Two close games in two weeks probably questions any benefit of "resting" players en masse.

I'm not convinced about that. At the end of the day it wouldn't have mattered to us if we had lost to Salford because we only really need to finish top 2, which we would still do.

I'm sure the young players who got their chance in the big league would disagree with you too. Players like Smith and Eastmond will have loved playing in the first team.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
Another pitiful gate though. Less than 9,000 for the 1/4 final of the CC involving two close rivals. The CC has DEFINITELY lost it's shine.
 

Fairleigh Good!

Juniors
Messages
1,185
deluded pom? said:
Another pitiful gate though. Less than 9,000 for the 1/4 final of the CC involving two close rivals. The CC has DEFINITELY lost it's shine.

I don't think that is the truth really. The PLay Offs are always ridiculously poorly attended. I've been to Grand Final qualifying games where there has been 8,000 at Knowsley Road. Even the historic Wide-To-West game had a sub-9,000 gate.

The County Of Origin games also drew appologetic crowds, as will the international with France at Leeds.

I think League fans in the UK are against spending money, not taking the Challenge Cup for granted. Make it free and there would probably be 15,000 there.
 

bartman

Immortal
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41,022
Fairleigh Good! said:
I'm not convinced about that. At the end of the day it wouldn't have mattered to us if we had lost to Salford because we only really need to finish top 2, which we would still do.

I'm sure the young players who got their chance in the big league would disagree with you too. Players like Smith and Eastmond will have loved playing in the first team.
True, the young guys would have loved and benefited from the experience. But I was more thinking that the rustiness resulted in Saints going within 10 minutes of being knocked out of the cup, and against a team that might have been capable of more flair than Warrington at the moment the experiment might have been humiliating.

Dropping 2 points against Salford wasn't likely to cost Saints anything, but it's not a good look. And better I think to gradually ease these younger guys in one at a time (like Tryer and Bannister early on?) around the most senior players available than rest a lot of guys at once.

But you got through, and well done Saints in the end. Roby had a good game, and that try from the 10m line through the hands from one side of the field to the other was great to see.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
Fairleigh Good! said:
I don't think that is the truth really. The PLay Offs are always ridiculously poorly attended. I've been to Grand Final qualifying games where there has been 8,000 at Knowsley Road. Even the historic Wide-To-West game had a sub-9,000 gate.

The County Of Origin games also drew appologetic crowds, as will the international with France at Leeds.

I think League fans in the UK are against spending money, not taking the Challenge Cup for granted. Make it free and there would probably be 15,000 there.

Maybe Sants fans are becoming just like their Wigan counterparts in the eighties and becoming complacent about success. I'm sure the Wolves would have had a good support yesterday. How many of the attendees were Saints fans?
 

JasonE

Bench
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3,107
What was the Kevin Penny try like ? we won't get to see the game in Oz but i listened to the game and the commentators gave him lots of praise.
After watching his 2 try debut last week it is very refreshing to see such an exciting prospect with incredible speed i haven' seen since the days of Offiah.
 

bartman

Immortal
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41,022
It was almost a replica of one the tries from the previous game, beating players with pace down the touchline.

Getting the ball on about the 35m with a small overlap he beat three covering tacklers including Wellens, all of whom again seemed to underestimate his pace and needed to resort to attempted ankle taps.

He's a very very speedy player, and more than potent as a attacking weapon. His defence wasn't actively tested by Saints, too much drop ball to tell if that's would be a potential problem or not. I can just imagine as he gets more experience and confidence that he could develop the know how to combine with Briers to bob up and chime in across other parts of the field to chase short kicks for ample scoring opportunities...
 

bartman

Immortal
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41,022
Results:

Wigan 25 Harlequins 4
St Helens 25 Warrington 14
Bradford 52 Huddersfield 20
Hull 23 Catalans 26

Semi final draw is on Wednesday, for games played 28-29 July.
 

bartman

Immortal
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41,022
Bradford turned up and were dominant from the outset at the ruck and in the forwards. Huddersfield's points came mostly toward the end when Bradford had eased up, and their attack only really began to bear fruit in about the 70th minute. It was pretty much a whitewash.

I've been impressed with Huddersfield's play of late, but today they didn't bring their game. To add to their woes Jamaal Lolesi was sin-binned for a careless charge down and Rod Jensen had his first run from the bench and dropped everything that came his way.

I'm not usually a Terry Newton fan, but he does fit into that opening dominant style of play well when Bradford turn it on. Ian Henderson adds a bit of flair when he gives Newton a spell, Solomona and Morrison and Lynch were all solid up front, the points flowed. Tame Topou even scored two tries on debut.
 

bartman

Immortal
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41,022
No, he was closely marked most of the match, compared to his normal strike rate.

Interestingly he was interviews post-match and has a clause in his Union contract to come back and play the Challenge Cup FInal if Bradford make it to Wembley...
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
Another poor turnout at the KC and Odsal. Apart from the fact that the final is at the new Wembley there doesn't seem to be much interest in this year's CC.
 

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