Niall Evalds has unfinished business with Challenge Cup as Hull KR star lays out pain and hopes

Pausing for the briefest of seconds, Niall Evalds considers his next words carefully before settling on bitter-sweet as the best description of his relationship with the Challenge Cup. The Hull KR full-back has twice been to Wembley, but not only did he depart on the losing team each time, his experience was somewhat different to the hundreds who had played in the showpiece game before him and many of those who followed.

Walking out to an empty Wembley Stadium in October 2020 as Covid gripped the country, the then 27-year-old didn’t get the cup final experience he had dreamed of since first picking up a rugby ball as a child. Wembley defeats always hurt, but a narrow one-point loss for his Salford Red Devils team against Leeds Rhinos stung even more without even being able to share the occasion with family, friends and fans.

A year later he was back at the national stadium, as were fans in a limited capacity. Playing with a new team in Castleford Tigers, it was unfortunately the same result with St Helens lifting the trophy. The sweetness in Evalds’ opening gambit comes from the fact his performance on the hallowed turf that day saw him join a small list of losing players to be awarded the Lance Todd Trophy.

The 2021 run with Castleford started with a one-point win over Hull KR in a thriller three years ago. Fast forward to 2024 and Evalds’ dream of winning at Wembley reaches its latest test now in the colours of Rovers. The Robins host Leigh Leopards in a repeat of last year’s final, with his team-mates who played last year sharing his determination to taste that winning feeling in the capital.

“It’s been bitter sweet,” explains Evalds, as the conversation turns to his relationship with the competition. “I’ve been to two finals. The first one with Salford was behind closed doors so that was a weird experience walking out at Wembley with about 12 people in the stands, it’s not how you imagine it.

“Unfortunately we lost that day by one point and that was a tough experience. The following year with Castleford to get the Lance Todd is something you dream of when you are young because some legends of the game have won that. To have my name on it is special, but you dream of doing it on a winning side.

“The Cas game, the capacity was capped, so it would be nice to go play there at a full stadium. I have some unfinished business with the cup. I haven’t won a trophy yet in my career and it is something I am desperate to do. That’s what this club is striving for.

“When you lose finals it stays with you a long time. I’m desperate, but we’re all desperate for a trophy and it starts again this weekend. Everything is set up now for this club to compete regularly, but you don’t think too far ahead, bigger picture sort of thing. We’re set up to compete for trophies, but the players have to take care of each week.”

Saturday night’s clash at Sewell Group Craven Park sees last year’s finalists reunited, with the stadium hosting another knockout game between the pair after Rovers’ victory in last season’s play-offs.

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There’s been a number of changes at both clubs since that night, with Evalds one of the new faces to arrive in east Hull this off season. A change of club represented not just a fresh start, but an important move for a player who had seen his time at the Tigers dominated by horrendous luck with injury.

Arriving at KR sometime after the signing of Peta Hiku, early expectations, reinforced by his two-try debut in the derby on the wing, suggested that may be the way forward for the talented full-back. A shift of Hiku to centre and Evalds to full-back a month later changed all that, with both players somewhat reborn much to KR’s advantage.

“Full-back suits my attacking game and where I am most comfortable, but after missing two years I just wanted to be out playing,” adds Evalds. “I’ve hit a bit of form at full-back and likewise Peta at centre, so it’s worked out best for the team at the minute.

“But I could end up at another position, that’s rugby league and it’s about what’s best for the team. I missed a fair bit of rugby the last two years so to be playing week in and week out is great, I’m enjoying playing with my team-mates and in front of these fans.

“It’s something I have missed and you don’t appreciate it until you miss it for a long period of time.”

You also perhaps don’t realise the significance of playing in two Challenge Cup finals, and winning a Lance Todd Trophy, until you retire and reflect properly. Evalds has achieved and been through so much already, still, a winning medal to look back on wouldn’t hurt!