York Knights v Leigh Leopards: Championship club relishing sense of occasion

Whereas Leigh have settled into third place in the top tier thanks to eight wins in a row, the injury-ravaged Knights are without a victory since beating London Broncos in the previous round of the cup.

Furthermore, the Leopards won last year's three Championship meetings 210-18 on aggregate, including a record 100-4 defeat for York in August.

While York owner Clint Goodchild has the utmost respect for Leigh, he is viewing Sunday's historic Challenge Cup quarter-final double-header at the LNER Community Stadium – which kicks off with the Valkyrie versus Cardiff Demons – as an opportunity to showcase the best of the North Yorkshire club.

“I think they’re this year’s great story in Super League," he said on Leigh.

"It’s good to be able to host a team like that. It’s going to be a hell of a challenge. We’ll be playing a lot of youngsters and for a lot it could be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“What an occasion. It’s the first time a Challenge Cup quarter-final double-header has ever occurred so that in itself is a celebration of the game, the club and the city of York.”

The Knights have drafted in reinforcements for the tie against Leigh with Wigan Warriors pair Adam Jones and Reagan Sumner going straight into the squad following their arrival on one-month loans.

York boss Andrew Henderson knows all about the magic of the cup after winning the trophy as Warrington Wolves assistant coach in 2019.

A year on from losing to Catalans Dragons at Wembley, Warrington stunned St Helens with a makeshift half-back pairing to record a famous victory that could provide inspiration to the Knights this week.

"I've got fantastic memories," said Henderson.

"It was a momentous occasion and a great day out. It was probably sweeter because we were in the Challenge Cup final the year before and lost to Catalans which was bitterly disappointing.

"What was really rewarding the following year was the way we learned lessons from the year before. We prepared a little bit differently and it worked.

"That day we had Dec Patton and Jack Hughes in the halves. We had a simple plan that we executed and backed our defence."

York would need to eclipse that result to book a semi-final place for the first time in their 20-year history.

Henderson is relishing the sense of occasion that a cup game against a Super League club brings.

"When we entered the Challenge Cup regardless of what we're dealing with in terms of injuries, we want to attack every competition and go as far as we can," said Henderson, whose side will discover their 1895 Cup semi-final opponents on Sunday.

"It's a credit to the team that we've managed to get to this stage.

"One thing I said to Clint was that I was really hopeful we'd get a home tie to showcase Super League rugby.

"We've got aspirations to be a Super League club one day and I thought it was really important to not only give our own fans but the wider public of York an opportunity to experience a Super League game day.

"I think it's great to get a home tie. To have the Valkyrie playing as a double-header adds more to the event.

"I'm really pleased we've got that but we're up against a very, very good Leigh side who are in red-hot form in Super League."

The Leopards have defied pre-season expectations to emerge as genuine play-off contenders on their return to Super League, beating St Helens and Warrington along the way.

Henderson is under no illusions about the size of the task facing his understrength Championship part-timers.

"They're a very well-balanced side and have a pack that has got great leg speed and skill about it," he added.

"They've got some real good continuity and strike on the edges. They just have a real good understanding of one another and are playing with a lot of confidence.

"We're certainly going to be challenged more than we have been all year."

While the Knights are long odds to beat Leigh, the Valkyrie are huge favourites to progress at the expense of Women's Super League South side Cardiff.

York's ladies team are aiming to go one better this year after reaching the final in 2021 but Goodchild has warned to focus on the challenge directly in front of them.

"It’s time to make sure we’re firing on all cylinders," he said. "Even though they are strong favourites to get a result, it’s about performing to our best and taking no prisoners."