WIGAN Warriors are odds on favourites to lift the Silk Cut Challenge Cup but coach John Monie says that tag should be firmly with tomorrow's quarter-final opponents St Helens.

"We have not been really tested yet - that has got to be in Saints favour," he confessed.

"They must go into the game as favourites. They have two wins at Wembley and that is enough motivation. Once you go you don't want to miss it, that was one of the reasons for Wigan's success.

"Wigan have been knocked out early in the last couple of years and St Helens did it last season so they must have the edge. That is how it appears if you step back from the emotion of it all and look at the situation purely as a coach.

"It is a little bit like entering unchartered waters as there are a few of my players I have never seen really tested. But I love the big games and the players will be well prepared and raring to go." St Helens are unchanged while Wigan's plans have been hampered by injury worries to stand-off Henry Paul and prop Stephen Holgate. The Warriors concern about the strength of their pack has been highlighted by the inclusion of Denis Betts a couple of weeks earlier than had been planned following his recovery from a major shoulder operation. Prop Terry O'Connor is available after his appeal against a two match ban was successful.

Despite live television coverage an 18.000 sell-out crowd at Central Park is just what Wigan and the game need. A tense and thrilling clash is in prospect with the result hard to call but Monie's prediction that Saints will prove a more difficult hurdle than many realise should be heeded.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.