Tom Briscoe has honest say on Leigh Leopards rebrand

For the first time since 1986 none of Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves and St Helens will be in the Challenge Cup Final as Leigh Leopards and Hull KR instead take centre stage.

Leigh are chasing Derek Beaumont’s fairytale today and a first Challenge Cup Final win since 1971 against Leeds.

It is fitting then that some former Leeds stars be the ones to provide the Leopards with the experience they need on a big stage.

On the right edge, Tom Briscoe and Zak Hardaker will link up both of whom won back to back Challenge Cup Finals with Leeds back in 2014 and 2015.

Hardaker now has his sights set on more success saying on the Sportsman:

“I think there’s obviously an excitement and a buzz around the place. I think just at the start of the year, winning games and seeing the fans’ reaction took me back a little bit. What it means to the people involved in Leigh and the town.

“Ever since we’ve been changed a couple of weeks ago, the fans have been absolutely ecstatic and people around the place are really excited. So yeah, to play this small part in it is brilliant and yeah, we’re all looking forward to Saturday.”

Briscoe meanwhile is one of the greatest ever Challenge Cup Final players scoring seven tries in three Challenge Cup Final wins with Leeds including five against today’s opponents Hull KR.

Leigh’s success has been helped by their rebrand and Briscoe spoke honestly about it:

“I mean going back to pre-season, the buzz around the place with the re-branding and becoming the Leopards and all that Derek wanted from the club, the signings that he made, you know, the press launch of the re-branding and the players that were coming in, it’s all been an exciting time to be part of Leigh and to be able to back it up on the field, it’s pretty special to be involved in that.”

Meanwhile, Hardaker underlined how finals are well on the club’s radar: “Yeah and I think obviously with the experience that me and Tom have got, I think the aim of the brand was to establish it to be a team that people are speaking about for years to come. Our job is to steer that club in the right direction.”