Tipster Ste’s Challenge Cup treble

Year to Date Profit/Loss = +0pts

Weekend Selections

Hull FC (-26)
Wigan Warriors (-20)
Huddersfield Giants (-12)

Treble = 6/1

Its Challenge cup weekend and there could be some strong handicap selections this weekend.  My chosen three are Hull FC, Wigan Warriors and Huddersfield Giants.  All three will have real intentions of not only reaching the final but winning this great competition at Wembley Stadium in August.

Hull FC and Wigan are away to Widnes Vikings and Bradford Bulls respectively but I feel both have been severely under handicapped.  FC are in great current form and head to the Stobart Stadium chasing a 26 point handicap.  Widnes recent form is awful and a handicap of +50 to Widnes would be more realistic.  I feel the bookmakers have handicapped this game on the basis of Widnes being a Super League side in 2012.  However Widnes last week drew away to Dewsbury 34-34 who the week before lost to Swinton Lions from Championship 1 in the previous round of the Challenge Cup.  Ask yourself the question what handicap would Dewsbury or Swinton have been given if they were facing Hull FC?  Hull FC at -26 is the NAP of the season never mind this weekend!

My second selection is Bradford Bulls v Wigan Warriors and again like Hull FC I feel Wigan will easily over come a -20 handicap against a Bulls side that is really struggling.  Wigan won very easily at the Grattan Stadium just a few short weeks ago in Super League and I see no reason why that wont happen again.  The Warriors will have genuine designs on lifting this famous trophy in 2011 which would be their first Challenge Cup triumph since Murrayfield 2002.  The potential of Sam Tomkins lighting up Wembley Stadium is one we would all enjoy and Wigan are indeed my tips to win the 2011 Challenge Cup.

I round up my weekend treble with Huddersfield Giants who take on Catalan Dragons.  The Dragons defeated Huddersfield just a few short weeks ago but since then they have sneaked through the last round against my own team, Leigh Centurions and in doing so gained a number of injuries to influential players such as Remi Casty and Scott Dureau.  Dureau may well be back this weekend and he will make a huge difference to a Dragons team that struggled last week at Headingley.  Huddersfield are having a great season and will like most of the top teams begin to dream about walking down Wembley way.  Huddersfield will need to reproduce last weeks form against St Helens to ensure a safe passage through to the Challenge Cup quarter finals.  I expect the Giants to over come the -12 handicap.

Enjoy your rugby league wherever you are this weekend!

Tipster Ste