Daily Express - 23.08.2019

RUGBY LEAGUE: CHALLENGE CUP FINAL^ Daily Express Friday, August 23, 2019^63

DX1ST

my form to tell you the truth. I’m

trying to forget about all that now and

put everything into this week to show

what I can do.

“As a team we’ve not been doing

our basics right and especially this

week we’re going to have to get that

right and flip it on its head.

“The semi-final win over Hull gives

us a lot of confidence because we were

just starting that drought around then,

and weren’t believing in ourselves as

much as we should.

“We turned it on for the game,

because in the cup there’s no next

week, it’s 80 minutes or you’re out.

We’ve definitely got the personnel to

do it again.”

Tomorrow will be extra special for

Patton’s family, with younger

brother Junior playing for Great

Sankey High School in the

traditional year seven

curtain raiser.

Patton added: “It’s

great for the family –

my dad is made up

with his two sons

playing at Wembley

on the same day.

“I’m not sure if I’ll

get chance to see the

whole game but I’d like

to get out and see how

he’s going on.

“He’s a half-back like

me – he’s probably a bit

better than me to be

honest!”

By Gareth Walker

Picture: TIM CLAYTON

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World Championships in

Beijing, just 13 months

after the birth of her son.

2017: England’s record

goalscorer Wayne Rooney

announced his retirement

from international football

with immediate effect.

2018: Trainer Mark

Johnston claimed a

record-breaking

4,194th career victory

in Britain after his

racehorse, Poet’s

Society, won at York.

Australia by 197 runs in

the fifth Test at the Oval,

completing a 2-1 series

victory.

2011: Arsenal agreed

terms with Manchester

City for the sale of France

midfielder Samir Nasri.

2013: Scotland striker

Kenny Miller announced

his retirement from

international football.

2015: Jessica Ennis-Hill

won the heptathlon at the

THOSE WERE

THE DAYS

1938: England’s Len

Hutton made what

was then the highest

individual score in

Test cricket, against

Australia at the Oval.

His 364 surpassed Wally

Hammond’s 336 not out

and stood until Sir

Garfield Sobers made an

unbeaten 365 in 1958.

2004: Kelly Holmes

won gold in the 800m at

the Athens Olympics –

the first part of her

middle-distance double.

2008: GB’s James DeGale

won gold in the men’s

middleweight boxing at

the Beijing Olympics.

2009: England regained

the Ashes after beating

ON THIS DATE IN SPORTING HISTORY

what, it’s first and second

in the table.

“They’re like a wounded

animal and will want to

come out fighting, and

we’ve been striding ahead.

It’s going to be like the

clash of the titans.”

GARETH WALKER

McCarthy-Scarsbrook says

they can handle that

pressure – even though he

expects a tight contest

with Warrington. He said:

“I don’t mind going in as

favourites – bookies hardly

lose do they? It will be a

tight game no matter

LOUIE McCarthy-Scarsbrook

has no issues with

St Helens being given the

favourites’ tag tomorrow.

The runaway Super

League leaders are odds-on

to lift the trophy for the

first time in a decade. And

London-born forward

‘It will be clash of the titans’

BLAKE AUSTIN says he is
“shattered” after being left out of
Warrington’s squad for tomorrow’s
Challenge Cup final against St Helens.
The half-back has been struggling
with an ankle injury since the defeat
at Catalans three weeks ago.
Coach Steve Price said earlier this
week he would give the 28-year-old
until today’s captain’s run training
session to prove his fitness for.
Price then omitted him from
yesterday’s required squad, although
doubts still surrounded whether
Austin could be a late call-up as the
Wolves have done in the past.
Coaches can bring in players after
that deadline if somebody else is ruled
out through injury by the club’s
medical staff. Warrington fielded
full-back Stefan Ratchford in the
semi-final win over Hull FC
after he was left out of the initial
19-man announcement.
But Austin posted on Instagram
yesterday afternoon: “Shattered,
but wasn’t my time I guess. Can’t
wait to cheer the boys on, we’ve
got a strong squad and a game
plan to match, lessssgo.”
Austin’s usual half-back
partner Dec Patton says
Wolves can turn around their
form when it matters most at
Wembley. Warrington have
lost their last five Super
League matches.
But local lad Patton, 24, is
confident of getting it right
on the big stage tomorrow. Patton
said: “I’ve not been very happy with

It’s agony for

injured Blake

LOW POINT:

Austin receives

treatment

after ankle

injury

HIGH

HOPES:

Patton

MILESTONE: Hutton

scored 364 to set a new

Test record in 1938

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