Wane: What I'll tell players before kick-off

Shaun Wane has revealed the instructions he will give his players moments before they walk out at Wembley today.
Shaun WaneShaun Wane
Shaun Wane

The coach has put a big emphasis on one-on-one defence as they prepare to take on Hull FC for the Challenge Cup Final.

And while Wane hopes they feed off the occasion and atmosphere, he also wants his players to focus on the principles rather than the prize.

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He said: “We’ve got a game plan that we think can break them down.

“I’ll tell the players to concentrate, and stick to the system.

“It’s a very important game but it’s only important at the end - during the game, you need to do all the little things which get you the win.

“Our one-on-one D is a big area, because in the past few games they’ve not beaten us with shape - it’s been our individual misses which have cost us.”

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Wane won the Challenge Cup himself as a player in 1988, was assistant to Michael Maguire in 2011 and lifted the trophy as head coach two years later.

“When I took over, the one thing I wanted to do was lead my team out at Wembley,” he said.

“That was the goal and I thought, ‘If I can do that as a head coach, I’ll be happy.’

“But I did it, and I won it, and I’m addicted to it. I want to do it again and again. I want to be back here next year.

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“This competition is special to us, with the history we have.

“It goes back more than 100 years, we played in the first at Wembley.”

Many of Wane’s players will be making their debuts at the national stadium, but he said: “They’ve got a lot of experience in these big games.

“Some of the younger players may not have played at Wembley but they’ve played at Old Trafford, they’ve played in World Club Challenges.

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“Look at George Williams, he’s played in three Grand Finals, so this won’t stress him - I think we’ll see the best of him.

“We’ve got some great players, they’ve got some great players, it’s got the makings of a great game and it can be a toss of a coin.”