Cunningham given skipper's role

Aug 22 2007

VETERAN hooker Keiron Cunningham has been given the role of leading St Helens out at Wembley in Saturday’s Carnegie Challenge Cup final against Catalans Dragons.

The 30-year-old former Wales and Great Britain international, Saints’ only survivor from their last Wembley triumph in 1997, has been chosen by coach Daniel Anderson to captain the team in the continuing absence of Paul Sculthorpe.

Scrum-half Sean Long is officially the club’s vice-captain and led the side to their Grand Final triumph last October but Cunningham keeps the job after skippering them in their semi-final victory over Bradford last month.

"It was a surprise," said Cunningham. "I just thought it was for the semi-final, we didn’t want to put too much pressure on Sean with him coming back from injury.

"But Daniel asked me to do the job and Sean is very pleased for me. We pretty much do the job between us anyway but I’m excited at the prospect of leading the side out."

Arguably the best hooker in the game, Cunningham will be appearing in his sixth Challenge Cup final – three behind record-holder Shaun Edwards – and will be looking for a sixth winners’ medal.

There were no surprises when Anderson named his 20-man squad, with Sculthorpe the only injury absentee while recent signing Chris Flannery is ineligible.

Long, Jon Wilkin, Willie Talau, Paul Wellens and Maurie Fa’asavalu all return after resting knocks against Salford last Friday, and stand-off Leon Pryce is back after completing a three-match suspension.

Pryce was handed the ban for grabbing the testicles of Bradford prop Sam Burgess during the semi-final win over the Bulls, an act that led to him being found guilty of misconduct. Reserve scrum-half Matty Smith and centre or winger Stephen Tyrer will both drop out when Anderson trims his squad to 18 on Friday and forwards Paul Clough and Bryn Hargreaves will contest the fourth spot on the bench.

"A couple didn’t train yesterday but there are only bumps and bruises," said Anderson, who takes his squad to London tomorrow.

"The final place in the 17 will be determined by balance as much as anything. There’s not really too much in it."

Saints have 14 survivors from the team that beat Huddersfield 42-12 at Twickenham last year.

Apart from Clough and Hargreaves, Australian centre Matt Gidley is the only St Helens player without Challenge Cup final experience but he played for Newcastle Knights in the 2001 NRL Grand Final in Sydney.

"It’s been a long time since I played in a final," said Gidley. "It should be a great occasion."