Challenge Cup success a priority for Zak Hardaker

The Sixth Round of the Challenge Cup sees the introduction of 11 Super League teams who are only three wins away from reaching the final. The Betfred Challenge Cup is one of the most historic cup competitions within sport going back to its inaugural year in 1896.

A player who has experienced excellent cup success in his career so far is Wigan Warriors number three Zak Hardaker. The former Leeds Rhinos full-back completed back-to-back successes with the Rhinos in 2014 and 2015 with wins against his home town club Castleford Tigers and Hull KR. The 30-year old reflected on those victories.

“I have had some good memories in the cup. I have been to the final three times but I didn’t make the team in 2011 against Wigan which we lost. But the next time we got there we went back-to-back in 2014 and 2015.  2014 final was more memorable for me because I am from Pontefract which is close to Cas and it was my first Challenge Cup win against a strong Castleford team”.

It has been a long nine years since Wigan last tasted success in the competition. The closest they have come in recent years is a defeat in the 2017 final against the Black and Whites of Hull FC. The prestigious competition is something players look back on having watched the Challenge Cup every year since they were young. Zak was asked this week by Wigan Head Coach Matt Peet to speak about his Challenge Cup memories and what they mean to him.

“The Challenge Cup is very special to me. We have spoken about it as a group this week and our earliest memories of watching Rugby League. A lot of our memories are of the Challenge Cup games that were on BBC as it was free to watch because not everybody could afford Sky. Matt asked me to share my experiences with the team this week and how the weeks when you play in the cup are different weeks than usual because it is knockout rugby”.

This year’s competition sees the location of the final moved from its usual venue of Wembley Stadium to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Semi-finals are set to be played as a double-header at Elland Road the home of Zak’s beloved Leeds United. But Zak will only be focusing on one cup game at a time starting with Salford Red Devils at the DW Stadium on Friday night.

“It would be brilliant to play at Elland Road as I have never played there. Leeds and Cas played there the year I was banned and I was pretty devastated to miss that. It’s a ground I get too as much as I can to watch Leeds United, to play in a Semi-final would be great but for it to be at Elland Road would be fantastic, but it is the Challenge Cup you can’t look that far ahead as we have a tough game against Salford.

They are very well organised and have made some great signings in Marc Sneyd and Brodie Croft in particular. It is knockout Rugby League so you have to be on your game otherwise you are knocked out. It is a big goal of ours to win the Challenge Cup and it means a lot to the town. I have been here for four years so when I do leave I will be gutted not to have won the Challenge Cup or Grand Final with this great club.

The Warriors are set to host their first home tie in the Challenge Cup since 2016, with Paul Rowley’s Salford side heading to the DW full of confidence following their superb win against Leeds Rhinos at the AJ Bell last week.

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