Tetleys Challenge Cup: Michael Shenton believes Castleford Tigers have the experience
Sunday 10 August 2014 12:32, UK
Michael Shenton insists Castleford will not be like "rabbits in the headlights" when the first whistle blows in Sunday's Tetley's Challenge Cup semi-final against Widnes.
The Tigers are enjoying an excellent season few would have predicted at the start of 2014 and have left their passionate supporters dreaming of a Wembley final.
Daryl Powell's men head into the last-four showdown at a sold-out Leigh Sports Village as favourites to reach the August 23 showpiece despite their lack of big-match experience.
Shenton, who played and scored for St Helens in the 2011 Super League Grand Final, does not expect his less-experienced team-mates to be overawed by the occasion.
The pressure is there in the back of your mind but once we get into it we've got some guys who are really cool under pressure.
“That newness to it is special for the guys. We're not going to be rabbits in the headlights. We've got to play the way we play,” said the 28-year-old centre.
"The pressure is there in the back of your mind but once we get into it we've got some guys who are really cool under pressure.
"In the likes of Marc Sneyd, Liam Finn and Daryl Clark we have real cool characters leading us around the park and it's hard to rile these guys.
Handle threats
"We've just got to make sure that as a team we're nice and calm and get into this game. We've got to play as well because we've got to break Widnes down and handle the threats they're going to throw at us.
"They're playing some really good rugby and are coming into a bit of form. It's going to be a pretty special game."
Castleford are nine points ahead of eighth-placed Widnes in fourth spot in the Super League table having done the double over the Cheshire club.
Denis Betts, who has taken the Vikings from the wooden spoon to the brink of the play-offs in two seasons, insisted that form counts for little in such a big match.
He said: "There are no favourites going into this game. You look at their position in the table and the bookies might say differently, but we are two pretty evenly-matched sides.
"It's going to be an exciting game and there might be a little bit of anxiety involved among the teams and some errors because of that.
"Whoever handles the pressure the best, comes into the game with the correct attitude, should come out on top."
