JOHN CARTWRIGHT has stoked the fire ahead of the Hull derby in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals next weekend by insisting that Hull KR are “the form team”.
For the first time in a number of years, Hull FC are battling at the right end of the Super League table, with the Black and Whites’ win over Castleford Tigers last night lifting Cartwright’s side to second – if only overnight.
As such, next weekend’s Challenge Cup tie is the most hotly-anticipated Hull derby for several years, with ticket sales already hitting 15,000 for the MKM Stadium on Saturday.
And Cartwright is excited to say the least.
“It’s exciting, you’ll probably have to live in Hull to grasp the feeling in the town because it’s a heavy rivalry – I picked up on that quick,” Cartwright said.
“It started last week when tickets went on sale and I believe there will be over 20,000 there. It will be a huge occasion for some of these young players that haven’t played in a derby as big as this.
“It’s really handy for us playing Thursday especially when we have a few niggles. Those extra days might be the difference between getting them on the field and not next week.”
Despite impressing in the early rounds of Super League, Cartwright insists that Hull KR will go into the fixture as favourites.
“Tonight was the first time we’ve been favourites in a game all year and that worried me as well!
“KR are the form team at the moment. We will go out and get a team together and by Saturday they will know their job.
“It’s a funny term ‘underdog’, I’m not sure whether it’s good or bad but we’re handling it well.”