Saints odds on for Wembley Glory
Hull FC last won the Challenge Cup in 2017, after beating Super League opposition in every round.
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 .