Challenge Cup: Featherstone Rovers coach hopes to draw on heritage for Bradford tie

Featherstone Rovers are hoping to evoke the 'spirit of '83' in this year's Challenge Cup - and they'll be driven on by a man who's had a long-distance love affair with the famous old trophy.

Rovers' pit-village heroes defied the odds to win the cup in 1983 when they shocked the rugby league world by beating Hull 14-12 in a famous Wembley final.

And, even though their modern day coach James Webster was born and raised in Australia, he has a fondness for the competition that makes it an ambition to take his current side as far as he can this year.

They start their campaign on Sunday with a mouthwatering first round tie against fellow Championship heavyweights Bradford Bulls - a repeat of the 1973 final, also won by Rovers.

Like many Australians, Webster's earliest memories of the Challenge Cup were being woken in the early hours of the morning as a youngster in the mid-to-late 80s to watch English rugby league's glittering event each May.

"It was the only game we got, other than a Kangaroo tour, to view from England. It's a prestigious competition in Australia. I'd wake up every year to watch Wigan win," he laughs.

"I don't quite remember the 1983 final, the first I watched was probably 1985, Wigan v Hull with [Brett] Kenny and [Peter] Sterling and the rest.

"But there's plenty of talk round here about 1983. It means a lot to the club. I know Allan Agar well, he coached the club that day. And when I first came to England I knew David Hobbs was at Featherstone and he won the Lance Todd Trophy in that game.

"I'd love to take Featherstone as far as we can go this year. There's plenty of prestige and history in the club.

"I love that it's such a community based club. Before Covid people would come and meet up and they'd socialise after a game. We got plenty of volunteers who worked on the stadium.

"You can tell that they back their team, they back their area and they are very proud of where they come from."

Webster, who came to England in 2005 as a whippy half-back, has enjoyed spells as a player and head coach at Hull KR, Hull, Widnes and Wakefield. And he's had his own brushes with cup final occasions.

In 2008 he missed out on Hull FC's big day at Wembley because he was cup-tied after signing from Hull KR. But last year he was assistant coach to Richard Agar as Leeds lifted the cup after beating Salford.

"That was fantastic," added Webster. "It was a great experience to go to Wembley."

The RFL's rules on Covid bubbles at clubs and the ending of dual-registration meant that Webster had to cut ties with Leeds shortly after that cup final and just concentrate on his Featherstone role - he'd previously been combining the jobs.

He was appointed head coach at Rovers in early 2020, but only managed six competitive games in charge before lockdown came. Sunday's game will be the first competitive game the club has played in over a year.

Webster is looking forward to the challenge.

"I'm glad we've a home game, but Bradford are good, very good. They're a big strong team with a ton of experience. And obviously they have a coach in John Kear who has been there and done it, especially in big occasions in the cup," said the 41-year-old.

"But it's a game we're really looking forward to. We want to test ourselves against the best possible and Bradford are in that top echelon in the Championship.

"Promotion for us is a priority this year, but the cup is a great distraction. It puts you under so much pressure in that winner takes all situation. I love everything about the Challenge Cup."