R League: Fairtyale for Cunningham

Jul 30 2007 Western Mail

KEIRON CUNNINGHAM admits he could not have written a better script.

The only survivor from St Helens’ back-to-back Wembley rugby league finals of 1996 and 1997, Cunningham was the inspiration behind the holders’ successful bid to become the first team to clinch a place in the first final back at the national stadium on August 25.

The veteran Wales hooker, who escaped a suspension after making a first-ever appearance before the disciplinary committee in midweek, led Saints in the absence of Paul Sculthorpe and – on his 400th appearance – produced a man-of-the-match display to help them to a hugely-impressive win over Bradford.

“It’s a bit of a fairytale,” he said. “I couldn’t have written the script any better.

“To reach 400 appearances is an honour – I think I’m in the top 12 now at Saints with appearances.

“It’s massive. Just to emulate anything we did last year is difficult with everybody chasing us down and to make a second Challenge Cup final in a row is special, but to be at Wembley is even more special.

“I’ve played there and I know how special it is. Some of the young kids and (coach) Daniel (Anderson) don’t actually know what it means.

“I don’t think you can beat Wembley Stadium. Cardiff is great and Twickenham is great, but Wembley is second to none.”

Cunningham, who also won the cup “on the road” with Saints in 2001, 2004 and 2006, led from the front as the holders took full advantage of the first dry conditions for weeks to boss the semi-final at Huddersfield from start to finish.

From the moment Willie Talau scored the first of six skilfully-crafted tries after only six minutes, there was never any doubt that Saints would inflict on their old rivals a sixth successive Challenge Cup defeat.

Saints’ emphatic victory was all the more remarkable considering the disruption caused in the build-up to the match by the loss of prop Jason Cayless and a shocking injury to valuable utility man James Roby, in addition to Cunningham’s worrying disciplinary hearing.

Cayless flew home to Sydney following the sudden death of his mother, while Roby needed hospital scans after a violent clash of heads with team-mate Maurie Fa’asavalu in training left him with a suspected broken cheekbone.

Having achieved their first objective, St Helens will now turn their attention to defending their second trophy, the Super League crown.

They are two points ahead of Leeds with six games left of the regular season and no-one will be betting against them completing a second successive double.