KYLE EAGER TO END JINX
KYLE AMOR has a laugh when fans talk about the agony of St Helens’ 10-year Challenge Cup jinx.
That pales in comparison to his own 21-year mission for Wembley glory.
The 31-year-old forward said: “My brother played in the 1997 curtain-raiser for West Cumbria against Leeds at the old Wembley.
“He says he is the only one in our family who has played at Wembley so it would be nice to shut him up. It would also be good for my mam to have two sons who have played there.”
Unreal
Catalans Dragons stand in the way of Saints’ bid to reach their first Challenge Cup final since their 2008 win over Hull.
Jon Wilkin and James Roby are the only two survivors and Amor says the team are desperate to write some new history.
The prop, who only started his professional career with Whitehaven a year after Saints’ Cup win, said: “It would be unreal for a lad with my background to win.
“Getting to Wembley would mean I have got to taste the League Leaders’ Shield, Grand Final and Challenge Cup.”
Saints face a tough semifinal against in-form Catalans at Bolton’s Macron Stadium on Sunday but Amor is determined nothing will stand in their way.
He said: “If you think of all the players who have touched that trophy you want to be part of that.
“It is the oldest compettion going and it’s at the national stadium – it does not get much bigger than that.
“I wouldn’t care if there were just 10 people in the crowd. To go out at your national stadium, live on BBC, is massive.
“In terms of what you strive and work for, the Grand Final is probably the one but the Cup is something everyone has grown up with.”
It may be the highlight for British players but Catalans forward Kenny Edwards admits he has had to learn fast.
The 28-year-old New Zealander, who joined the French outfit in May, said: “I don’t know much about the cup, sorry.”
Edwards made his Dragons debut in the quarterfinal win over Huddersfield but admits knockout rugby was a mystery to him.
He said: “I don’t know too much but the boys have been filling me in. I’ve never watched a cup final because the time-zones are so different, but I’d love to get to it this year.”