Wigan coach Shaun Wane will today tell his players the 17 he has chosen to try and win the Challenge Cup at Wembley on Saturday afternoon after admitting he already knows his side for the final – while also revealing his respect for the man he will go up against this weekend.
Wane’s Warriors take on Lee Radford’s Hull, the reigning holders, for the right to win rugby league’s most prestigious prize under the Wembley arches on Saturday.
Radford said on Monday he has already told his players – and Wane will follow suit on Tuesday with no decisions left to make.
He said: “I’ll tell my players on Tuesday. No, no decisions to make. I know my team. I know it.”
One player set to get the nod is winger Tom Davies over fellow youngster Liam Marshall: after Wane paid tribute to the young Wiganer following his emergence as a first-team player.
He said of Davies: “I never thought at the start of the year though he’d be walking out at Wembley. All credit to him; he’s taken his chance and for him to keep his spot is a fairytale for him. He’s a born-and-bred Wigan lad, he lives in Standish like I do and he’s going to have a great time.”
Wane has also spoken of his admiration of the man he will try to beat on Saturday: Hull boss Lee Radford.
He said of the FC coach: “I’m so glad to be back and so glad I get to do it against Lee. I like him and I like the way his teams play.
“I speak to him more than every other Super League coach. I’m always texting him and wishing him good luck; I like the way he played and I like the way he coaches. He went through a tough time when he started like me, but he’s come through the other end of it. I’ve a lot of respect over him and I’m motivated to pit my wits against him.”
