Rugby League / George Riley / 29 May 2009 / Leave a comment

Rugby league's most famous cup competition enters quarter-final weekend with holders St Helens already looking massive favourites to retain their crown, writes George Riley.

Saints are unbackable against part-timers Gateshead in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, with a huge score expected when the pair meet at the Thunderdome.

You can take the Thunder at [2.0] with Betfair with a [46.5] points start, but this will depend a great deal on what kind of team coach Mick Potter selects. I expect Saints to field a formidable side, and Gateshead's near-impossible task will be even tougher without captain Andrew Henderson. Hendo is a good mate of mine and my thoughts are with him as he returns to Australia following the death of his father.

Friday night's game could be a cracker as Salford visit Wigan. I once again backed the underdog Reds last weekend and they came up trumps to continue their resurgence. Their 18-10 win over Bradford was another value call, and fortune again favoured the brave. The Reds are trading at a terrific [4.5] to knock out Wigan (1.28). The warriors have a proud Challenge Cup pedigree and should justify their short odds at home. They will however miss prop Stuart Fielden through suspension. Jeremy Smith and Craig Stapleton are back to boost the visitors and although their value tempts me to throw a few quid at Shaun McRae's side, I'd be surprised if Wigan slip up.

Hull KR v Warrington is Saturday's TV game and this should be a real treat after the FA Cup final. Rovers are flying in Super League and followers of this column would have enjoyed the predicted wins for both of these sides last weekend. I like Hull KR in this fixture. Justin Morgan's side have no fresh injury concerns and although the [2.64] Wolves will be buoyed by their Wigan win last weekend, I see no reason to predict that Hull at [1.63] will slip up at home.

There will be one West Yorkshire team in the semi finals as Huddersfield host Castleford on Sunday. The Giants thumped Wakefield 54-6 last weekend and are understandably [1.41], while the Tigers' defeat at Hull KR leaves them trading around the [3.35] mark with Betfair punters. Both sides should make the Super League play-offs and I'd normally quite fancy Cas at those odds, but I think the absence of scrum-half Brent Sherwin is key. He is their playmaker and string-puller and in his absence I take the Giants to stand tall in a competition they reached the final of three years ago.

There is one Super League fixture to complete the round as Wakefield travel to Wales for their rearranged round six game against the Celtic Crusaders. This was postponed earlier this season following the death of Wildcats reserve player Leon Walker.

Since then Wakey have wobbled and Crusaders have finally landed their first win. As such their hitherto massive odds are reduced somewhat to [3.0] with Betfair punters fancying a home win, and there is a decent chance the Bridgend club can reproduce the form that stunned Bradford at Odsal. I still take the Wildcats though at [1.52], although without a massive amount of confidence. They have got rid of one problem area this week by offloading Danny Sculthorpe to Huddersfield. Danny Brough returns from suspension after he and Sculthorpe broke a booze ban on the coach back from London two weeks ago.

Wakey's hefty home loss to Huddersfield last weekend was an absolute shambles and coach John Kear won't tolerate anything like that. I tip Wakefield to withstand a fierce Welsh onslaught and snap out of their five-game losing streak by sealing a narrow win.