Challenge Cup final tips: Leigh Leopards early favourites to claim Wembley glory over Hull KR
- Seb Sternik
- 23 July 2023
Planet Sport takes a look at the early odds for the Challenge Cup final after Leigh Leopards and Hull KR stamped their place in the showpiece.
Challenge Cup semi-finals delivered in a big way over the weekend as the Leigh Leopards and Hull KR both booked their tickets to Wembley.
Leigh haven't been to the Challenge Cup final since 1971, though a heroic display in the semi-final over St Helens has got many fans dreaming of glory.
Adrian Lam's men came back from 6-0 down to beat Saints 12-10 in front of over 12,000 fans at the Halliwell Jones stadium in Warrington.
Oliver Holmes and Zak Hardaker were both on the scoresheet as the Leopards celebrated an enthralling victory that will be remembered for years to come.
As fans spilled onto the pitch following the full-time whistle, not even owner Derek Beaumont could force the jubilant crowd to return to the stands.
Leigh rebranded after securing promotion from the Championship to Super League last season. Since then, the club have far exceeded expectations and are remarkably on course for what would be an inconceivable treble-winning season.
Winning the Challenge Cup would be the first piece of that puzzle, though one team determined to spoil the party are Hull Kingston Rovers.
Willie Peters' men have been somewhat inconsistent in recent weeks, but that certainly hasn't translated to the cup.
After dispatching Batley and Salford in the earlier rounds, Hull set their sights on beating the defending champions Wigan Warriors on Sunday.
The two teams produced an absolute classic, though it was Brad Schneider's golden-point drop-goal which sealed the 11-10 win at Headingley.
The Robins have won the Challenge Cup once in their history, back in the 1979/80 season.
Both clubs - who have been starved of major silverware for many years - are desperate to carve out their place in history.
As things stand, the bookmakers are backing Leigh to lift the trophy at around the 4/7 mark. Hull KR, meanwhile, have been priced at 11/8 following their impressive display at the weekend.
With the final set to take place on August 12, a lot could still change. Super League form will undoubtedly dictate how the market moves over the next few weeks, though one thing's for sure, history will be made.
