Briscoe wants cup memory
Shaun Briscoe can’t wait to get on the field and help Hull Kingston Rovers through to the quarter-finals of the Carnegie Challenge Cup as the Robins prepare to travel to face Salford City Reds in a fifth round tie on Friday May 20 (8.00pm).
Briscoe has a Challenge Cup winners’ medal from his time with Hull FC in 2005, but having missed out on appearing in the final due to appendicitis the day before the final, the full-back is dreaming of setting the record straight this season.
“Usually when people talk about me it’s either about my bent nose or missing the Cup final and that’s something I would love to put right,” said Briscoe.
“I got appendicitis the day before the final in 2005 and I had played every round up until then so I got a winners medal, but I didn’t feel as though I had actually won it and to get the opportunity to go out on the field at Wembley and make up for that would mean a lot to me.
“Obviously it’s a long way from here to Wembley and we know we have a lot of hard work to put in before we could make it that far but we’re all ambitious and we all have a huge desire to win and be successful at this club.”
After finishing in the play-offs last season, Rovers have got off to shaky start so far this year and find themselves rooted near the bottom of the Engage Super League table, but Briscoe is confident the side can turn their form around and he feels the Challenge Cup is a good place to start that resurrection.
“It’s good to still be involved in the Cup because we haven’t had the best start to the season on the field,” he said. “Our form is beginning to improve and we’re beginning to find our momentum again so hopefully we’ll go into the game in good spirits and ready to put in a big performance.
“Some people have said it will be an easy game for us but we’ve been over to Salford already this season and lost to them so we’re under no illusions that we need to show up and play at our very best because if we don’t, we’ll be out of the competition and that’s not a situation we want to be in.
“There’s been a lot of hype about the club in the media this season and sometimes that can distract you, but we’re focused on our game and we’re looking good in training and as a team, if we perform to the best of our ability then I think we can beat anyone in the competition.
“But we can’t start thinking about Wembley or anywhere near that far ahead yet. We have a tough game against Salford first and if we make it through that then we’ll have another tough opponent no doubt, so we’re focusing on the game in hand.”
Tickets for the Carnegie Challenge Cup fifth round tie Salford City Reds v Hull Kingston Rovers at The Willows on Friday May 20 (8.00pm) are priced from £17.50 Adult, £12.50 concession and £7.50 juniors and are available by calling 0161 736 6564.
Tickets for the 2011 Carnegie Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday August 27 costs from £21 to £76 and are selling fast. Last year’s final was a sell-out and fans are advised to move quickly to secure their seat at the historic showpiece final. To book tickets call 0844 856 1113 or visit www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.uk
For more information about the Carnegie Challenge Cup visit www.carnegiechallengecup.co.uk