Challenge Cup: Scottish side plot Knight raid

Edinburgh are back in the Challenge Cup and face a tough trip away to the Graveyard to take on the Normanton Knights. 

Despite many favouring the West Yorkshire side in this contest, Eagles head coach Craig Robertson is optimistic.

He said: “We’ve got some really good players and we’re certainly not coming down here to lose. 

“We’ve got one job and one job only. Essentially, to do a Normanton raid, get the win and get out of there. We’re leaving at 6 o’clock in the morning. You certainly don’t want to get up at 6 o’clock just to get hammered.”

These two sides previously met eleven years ago, also in the first round of the Challenge Cup. On that occasion, it was the Knights who ran out 38-8 winners. 

Robertson believes his side is a lot better than they were back then or the team they had last year.

He said: “We’ve got a lot of new bodies that have joined this season, increasing the standard of our team. 

“We know our game plan. We’ve got a very athletic side. At the end of the day, you can ask hundreds of Scotsmen and they always want to play against the Englishmen.” 

The Eagles last played in the Challenge Cup back in 2012 when they took on Stanley Rangers – a side located merely a few miles away from Normanton.  Back then, they suffered a heavy 60-22 defeat. 

Robertson spoke about the long travel from Edinburgh to West Yorkshire and said: “Ideally, we would have loved a home game. It’s part and parcel of the game though. 

“If you do pick up a win that travel could turn into a good bus trip home essentially. We just have to get on with it.”

The Eagles will be looking to make the second round of the Challenge Cup only for the third time.