Paul Wellens has always supported Manchester City. He witnessed Mansfield Town eliminate the Cityzens from the Football League Trophy, and he now gets to witness Pep Guardiola’s team adopt the “Goliath” chant in nearly every cup match they play. Like most, he adores the “romance of the cup,” but in his capacity as head coach of St Helens, he wants to preserve the Challenge Cup’s current format for the benefit of his team, even if it lessens the competition’s allure.
Wellens won the Challenge Cup three times during his playing career and was only one of two individuals to ever win the Lance Todd Trophy in back-to-back years. Last year, Wellens watched City defeat three Championship opponents on their way to winning the FA Cup and ultimately the treble.
In fact, across the competition’s 128-year history, only Leeds Rhinos (13) and Wigan Warriors (20) have won more Challenge Cups than Saints as a club.
The Red V will resume their pursuit of 2024 cup glory this Friday night when they host Leeds in the competition’s Sixth Round. This matchup brings the teams back to Headingley just seven days after their first Super League encounter of the season took place there.
For the second week in a row, Warrington Wolves will also play the London Broncos.
St Helens’ Paul Wellens has shared his thoughts on the Challenge Cup format, drawing comparisons to the FA Cup in football. The quick rematch in the Challenge Cup, according to Wellens, is a result of the draw featuring only four non-Super League teams, a setup that has been in place since 2021. Super League teams enter at Round 6, needing to win just four games to secure the cup.
In contrast, Wellens pointed out that his beloved Sky Blues in football’s FA Cup have to win six games to triumph, entering at Round 3 with 31 other teams still in the competition. While he appreciates watching his football team face clubs from outside the Premier League, Wellens is content with Super League clubs competing against each other in rugby league for the time being.
He mentioned to Love Rugby League, “There’s one side of it that’s the rugby league romance side where if Super League sides came in a bit earlier, you’d have more of those fixtures against Championship teams and it’d be a bit like the FA Cup feel where you’ve got the minnows going up against the giants.”
Wellens also expressed his belief in reducing players’ workload, which supports the idea of Super League teams entering the competition later. He acknowledged the ongoing debate over the Challenge Cup format and mentioned the various attempts made over the years, such as moving the Challenge Cup final date, to address these concerns.
“I have immense respect for the Challenge Cup competition and its rich history, which I believe greatly enhances rugby league in our region. However, speaking as a coach, I am content with the current format of the tournament.
Wellens has commented on the discussion surrounding the Challenge Cup format, echoing the sentiments of many who advocate for a reduction in the number of games played each season.
At the start of this season, the RFL implemented ‘match limits,’ which restrict the number of games or minutes a player can participate in based on their position and age.
Wellens added, “It’s clearly a challenge for the sport moving forward. I strongly believe that as a sport, we should have a five-year plan to reduce the number of games so we don’t need to impose limits on players’ playing time.
“That’s where we stand currently, and I understand the rationale behind our current schedule. However, there would certainly be benefits to the sport if we had a forward-thinking approach to reducing the number of games.
“If and when this happens, it will also improve the quality of the game on the field.”
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