Saints odds on for Wembley Glory

Challenge Cup sponsors Coral have installed Super League leaders St Helens 1/2 favourites to win the Wembley showpiece , after the semi final draw paired them with Championship side Halifax .

Saints , who overpowered Wakefield on Saturday to reach the semis , haven’t won the cup since beating Hull FC at Wembley 11 years ago  . Halifax became the 1st Championship side to reach the Challenge Cup semi final since Hull KR in 2006 with a win at Bradford on Sunday but you have to feel Saints will be far too strong at the Macron Stadium in 8 weeks time . Ironically it was Saints who ended the Rovers cup run in the Semi Final in 2006 before beating Huddersfield in the final at Twickenham . The Redvee won the 1st 2 finals at the new Wembley , in 2007 and 2008 , but haven’t made it back there since , this included losing a semi against Catalans at Bolton 12  months ago . Fax are 250/1 to shock the Rugby world and lift the Challenge Cup , but surely their best chance of cup success will be in the 1895 Cup .

Last years beaten finalists Warrington are 2nd favourites at 9/4 after the draw paired them with 2016 and 2017 winners Hull FC , in a repeat of the classic 2016 final . Wire struggled to overcome Hull KR on Friday and will have to up their game against Lee Radford’s side who put 50 past holders Catalans last Thursday . The Wolves last won the Cup in 2012 , but have been beaten finalists twice since then . 15/2 seems a big price for cup specialists FC , but to win the cup they’d more than likely have to beat Super Leagues top 2 clubs and that may just be  a bridge too far .

The semi finals take place in a double header at Bolton’s Macron Stadium on July 27th , with the final at Wembley in late August .