Miski: It’s on us – Wigan Warriors

• Abbas Miski says the Warriors are set for a “tough battle” in the Betfred Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull KR.
• Miski: “It’s going to be a tough battle, but it’s one we’re ready for.”
• Watch more match previews ahead of the semi-final on Wigan TV HERE.

Abbas Miski says the Warriors are set to face an “uphill battle” in their semi-final clash with Hull KR.

The Warriors prepare to face the Robins in the knockout tie at Docaster’s Eco-Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon as they aim to reach their first Wembley final since 2017.

Miski, who scored twice in the quarter-final win over Castleford Tigers, revealed his emotions ahead of the match: “I’m calm at the moment but the emotions will increase as the week goes on and the game gets closer.

“You always get nervous no matter how long you’ve been playing, but the recent Grand Final and the World Club Challenge helped regulate those emotions. We will have more discussions in the build-up about the game and how much it means to us and the Club.”

Miski has been named in Wigan’s 21-man squad for their 2022 Betfred Challenge Cup final success against Huddersfield Giants at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and despite missing out on matchday selection, the winger has fond memories of on this occasion.

He said: “The whole week has been great. From traveling and staying in London to seeing all the fans and the work at the Club that was involved. Then you have all the elements in between, like the stadium, the game, the win, the celebrations, the Wigan parade – it was a week that everyone wanted to be a part of.”

Despite falling short of the golden point against Hull KR at this stage of the competition last year, Miski believes the Warriors have taken motivation from the defeat for the rest of the season.

“Obviously we would have loved to have been in the final at Wembley Stadium, but we learned a lot from that loss,” Miski said. “You learn how to regulate your emotions, what to focus on, and even though the loss wasn’t nice, I think it set us up massively for the rest of the year.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s game against the Robins, Miski said: “We know Hull KR are a very good side with a lot of quality players who will want to get to Wembley again but win it this time. It’s going to be a tough battle, but it’s one we’re definitely up for.”

On the Warriors’ preparation ahead of the West Yorkshire encounter, Miski added: “Our preparation has been the same as most weeks, albeit with a bit more intensity. The emotions may be higher, but we are going through the same process as we did with the Grand Final and the World Club Challenge. Our coaching staff will give us everything we need to win a game but it’s up to us to turn up and give Hull KR our all.”

The Warriors head to the top of the Betfred Super League table after a 48-6 win over Huddersfield Giants last time out, a win in which Miski scored twice to take his tally of tries to eight for the campaign.

Reflecting on Wigan’s start to the season, Miski said: “Personally, I still have a lot of work to do following the pre-season injury, but the team has been great. As players and coaches, we’ve done pretty well to put ourselves in the best position to continue to win and be in these big games.”

Tickets remain on general sale from The Brick Community Stadium Box Office and online HERE. Please note that tickets will go on sale from the box office at 12pm on Friday 17 May.

Abbas Miski is sponsored by RZ-Clean-Seal