Sculthorpe passed fit to rejoin Saints' challenge

Dave Hadfield
Friday 26 March 2004 20:00 EST
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Along With the ever-present - if rarely delivered - threat of giant-killing, one of the traditions of the Challenge Cup is the feeling in some years that one club's "name is on it". This season, that club is St Helens, who have already accounted for Bradford and Leeds and tomorrow take on another big gun when Hull come to Knowsley Road, where they have not won for 16 years.

Along With the ever-present - if rarely delivered - threat of giant-killing, one of the traditions of the Challenge Cup is the feeling in some years that one club's "name is on it". This season, that club is St Helens, who have already accounted for Bradford and Leeds and tomorrow take on another big gun when Hull come to Knowsley Road, where they have not won for 16 years.

Saints' Ian Millward has the luxury of a fully fit Paul Sculthorpe and Willie Talau, while Hull must hope the elder of their two Richie Barnetts is fully recovered from the virus that limited him to 40 minutes last week.

The other two ties fall squarely into giant-killing territory, literally so at Huddersfield, at full strength for the visit of York and surely too powerful. There is a more realistic chance of an upset at Whitehaven, where home advantage and a team fired-up by a partisan Cumbrian crowd could make it an uncomfortable afternoon for Warrington.

The Whitehaven coach, Steve McCormack, rested 10 players last week, but the likes of Aaron Lester, Howard Hill, Gary Broadbent, Leroy Joe and David Fatialofa will all be back, while Craig Chambers can look forward to doing battle with his brother, Gary, who is on Warrington's coaching staff. Paul Cullen, the ex-Whitehaven coach, has two players - Graham Appo and Chris Leikvoll - unavailable and he should be able to avoid any banana skins.

In the weekend's only Super League match, Scott Murrell is in line to make his London Broncos debut, on loan from Leeds. The former Salford hooker, Dave Highton, is also set to make his first appearance for the Broncos.

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