Русская версияSt Helens 10-0 Hull (Latest)
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By Pranav Soneji
31 minutes: This game has seen plenty of breaks as Gareths Carvell and Raynor move Hull up to the halfway line, but Kirk Yeaman overcooks a little dink to hand possession back to Saints.
28 minutes: Brilliant break from Paul Wellens, who breaks through two tackles to set Saints up for a certain score by Willie Talau in the corner, only for referee Ganson to rule the try out for a forward pass. Oof! Look at the faces of those Saints players - like a bulldog chewing a stinging nettle...
27 minutes: A cheeky kick from Tommy Lee sees Ade Gardner caught inside his own in-goal area, resulting in a drop-out under the posts. A promising little spell for the men from East Yorkshire.
26 minutes: Saints use the power of their forwards in the middle of the pitch to give Sean Long the opportunity to thump a testing high kick, which Kirk Yeaman doesn't deal with too well on his own tryline. However, big call from referee Steve Ganson, who penalises Saints for offside for the second time, giving Hull the ideal opportunity to clear their lines.
23 minutes: A confidence boost for Hull as winger Matt Sing makes a break, which sees Graeme Horne just held up two metres from the Saints tryline in the corner. Encouraging, but they'll need plenty more of that to unsettle Saints' obdurate defence.
18 minutes: TRY - ST HELENS 10-0 HULL
Just seconds after another crashing tackle on Horne on the Saints tryline, the defending champions are in for their second score of the game as Francis Meli races through
for a 70m solo try. The winger is fed by a slick inside pass from James Graham before skipping past two weak tackles. Meli actually slowed down at one point because he thought referee Ganson had blown his whistle for an infringement, but was told to get across the tryline by his team-mates. Sean Long adds the extras.
16 minutes: Richard Horne, who has not played for Hull since April is absolutely nailed by James Graham with his very first touch of the game. The half-back, who suffered a serious neck injury, just gets up and carries on with the game. Nails.
"It has been a chaotic game - somebody needs to show some composure to get a grip on this game."
Wakefield coach John Kear on BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra
13 minutes: Saints are all over Hull right now. Sean Long spins the ball out to Ade Gardner, but the winger drops the ball just as he is about to ground the ball. All that was because of a needless Hull knock on. It's all about discipline innit?
12 minutes: Some news on Paul Sculthorpe - the loose forward dislocated his shoulder and had it "popped" back in, but he will play no further part in the final.
7 minutes: TRY - ST HELENS 4-0 HULL
Matt Gidley waltzes through the Hull defence for the first score of the afternoon from a Saints scrum, set up by a superbly timed pass from full-back Paul Wellens. Hull coach Richard Agar may ask questions about Kirk Yeaman's tackle on Wellens, which he could have made a little earlier. Sean Long misses the conversion attempt.
5 minutes: The resulting set of six sees Tommy Lee's hanging kick to the corner batted down by winger Raynor, but the bounce is not kind for Hull and Saints manage to avert the danger.
3 minutes: Gareth Raynor takes a thumping high kick right by his toes and Saints are penalised for offside, giving Hull the ideal opportunity to seek attacking territory.
1 minute: And Hull get the final under way, with Saints going through their set of six without too much alarm. Oh dear, Paul Sculthorpe is being helped off the pitch with what looks like an arm injury. Heartbreak.
1430: The experienced Steve Ganson is the merry whistleblower, as one pundit likes to refer to referees. His last Challenge Cup final was Hull's 25-24 win over Leeds in the 2005 Challenge Cup final. Lucky omen, up to you to decide... And we're ready for kick off!!
"Minute's silence for Don Fox. Nice touch... No chance of a Watersplash Final today though. As warm as you like here."
BBC Sport's Phil Harlow at Wembley
1428: An impeccably observed minute's silence for Don Fox, as well see a close-up of his brother Neil wipe away a stray tear.
"My mate says St Helens will by over 50 points so I'll go for the opposite, Hull to avenge the Warriors!"
Fred from Accy via TEXT 81111
1424: "Abide with me" rings out around Wembley, "you cannot whack it as a pre-Cup final anthem" says BBC Sport's Phil Harlow at Wembley. Meanwhile Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham is introduced to the two teams, alongside a few other top bods from The Great Game.
1422: There will be a minute's silence in memory of former Lance Todd Trophy winner Don Fox, who sadly passed away last week. Fox will always be remembered for his last-gasp missed conversion attempt for Wakefield in the famous 1968 Challenge Cup final in the 11-10 defeat by Leeds. The BBC's David Coleman asked him if winning the Lance Todd Trophy trophy as man of the match was any consolation. "No, not really," was his reply. Legendary.
1419: Denied Motu Tony and Adam Dykes, Hull coach Richard Agar has opted for Todd Byrne at full-back, with Tommy Lee filling in for Australian Dykes. Not the former Motley Crue, mind.
"My prediction is 38-12 to Saints with the enigma (can't say what i want to) Sean Long MOTM. Let's show the Premier League what a great game rugby league is!"
djdandeman on 606 Have your say on 606
1412: Hull KR coach Justin Morgan, commentating for BBC TV, says the bench could hold the key to victory as the Australian believes Hull do not have the strength in depth that Saints have. Anderson admits he has taken a gamble with Maurie Fa'asavalu on the bench as the prop has not played since the semi-finals. Saints were dealt a major blow when New Zealand international prop Jason Cayless was ruled out, but it's hardly as if they're struggling for replacements with the likes of Nick Fozzard to step up to the plate. Richard Agar has also thrown a leftfield selection with Great Britain international half-back Richard Horne, who has not played since April because of a career-threatening neck injury. Morgan also reckons he has lost about two stone of bulk, he is looking a touch Kate Mosseque too.
1408: Saints coach Daniel Anderson caused a bit of a rumpus for eschewing the traditional eve-of-final walkabout at Wembley, but Richard Agar's Hull had no such issues, soaking in the atmosphere of the national stadium on Friday. Agar will be hoping to emulate his father Allan's achievements, who won the Challenge Cup in 1983 with unfancied Featherstone Rovers, although Hull had been on the receiving end of that surprise defeat 25 years ago.
"I think everyone outside of St Helens wants Hull to win today. Not just because they are underdogs...but because Saints are so arrogant."
Rick via TEXT 81111
Nothing like a bit of controversial banter to kick off proceedings, although I've just seen a Hull fan with a dreadlocks wig wearing a G-string and not much else. My colleague next to me was about to tuck into her jacket potato before she saw that. She has now sent her lunch back.
1400: Our man at Wembley Phil Harlow has just got word of the teams - they are as follows:
St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Hargreaves, Cunningham, Graham, Wilkin, Flannery, Sculthorpe
Interchanges: Gilmour, Roby, Clough, Fa'asavalu
Hull: Byrne, Sing, G Horne, Yeaman, Raynor, Washbrook, Lee, Dowes, Berrigan, Cusack, Manu, Tickle, Radford
Interchanges: R Horne, Carvell, Briscoe, Thackery
Young Harlers wishes he had his deckchair with him as it's absolutely roasting at Wembley. Just don't get those knobbly knees out Phil, there will be small children and people of a nervous disposition about.
1354: This isn't all one-way banter you know. Get involved this afternoon via 606 or TEXT 81111 with the word "RUGBYL" before your message. Oh, and don't forget to put your name for your five seconds of sheer rugby league glory.
1352: Some news for you - scrum-half Adam Dykes will not feature for Hull, which could mean injury-plagued Richard Horne could be set for the number six shirt. Saints have named Great Britain international Maurie Fa'asavalu on the replacements' bench. BBC Sport columnist Jon Wilkin described the Samoan-born prop as a "human wrecking ball". I wouldn't want to run off with his cornetto.
1347: So here it is, rugby league's Wembley showpiece with those Saints boys going for Challenge Cup number three against the Airlie Birds from 'Ull, champions of 2005 in one of the most exciting final upsets in a good long while. No doubt the boys in black and white and their army of supporters will be expecting the same again in north west London this afternoon. Both sides have had their fair share of injury problems going into the match, with neither coach announcing their teams until an hour before kick-off.
Hull FC (from): Berrigan, Briscoe, Byrne, Carvell, Cusack, Dowes, Dykes, G Horne, R Horne, Houghton, Lee, Manu, Radford, Raynor, Sing, Thackray, Tickle, Washbrook, Yeaman.
St Helens (from): Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Fozzard, Cunningham, Gilmour, Wilkin, Sculthorpe, Roby, Flannery, Graham, Hargreaves, Clough, Fa'asavalu, Eastmond.
(BBC)
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