‘There’s a bit of poetry in it’ – Barrie McDermott predicts who will lift the Challenge Cup

Former Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain striker and Sky Sports pundit Barrie McDermott has spoken about who he thinks will win the Challenge Cup today.

Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves clash in the Challenge Cup final for only the second time today, with Wigan emerging victorious in 1990.

McDermott played for Wigan for two seasons and won one championship during that time.

He also played in a Wigan-Warrington final, a 40-10 Regal Trophy win.

However, his Challenge Cup victory came with Leeds Rhinos as they beat London Broncos to lift their first for 21 years.

Speaking on Eddie and Stevo: The Podcast, he said: “Wigan for me are the best team in the competition at the moment. They defend well, they attack well, they have some magnificent players.

“Obviously a few suspensions in there but the strength in depth means they will rightly go in as favourites.”

Test Challenge Cup: Named runners-up each year since 1996

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Credit: Imago Images

However, he went on to talk about the potential significance of a win for Warrington Wolves.

He said: “I’ve always been a huge fan of Sam Burgess because of how he dealt with MND in his early teens with his father.”

His father Mark Burgess died of MND in 2007 when Sam was still a teenager.

McDermott continued: “I think there is a bit of poetry in Sam Burgess, in his first year as coach, in a week when someone close to the sport died of MND, lifting that Challenge Cup.

“I don’t have a dog in the fight, I want a good game and I want everyone who can stumble upon it to come and say ‘they’re physically impressive individuals’ because what they’ve seen through Rob and Kev is what we. I’m at my best.

“That’s what those two are: they’re the best of us and we all aspire to be a bit more like Kev and Rob. We’ll never get there, but if we can be a little bit better.”