Carnegie Challenge Cup

STEVE SNITCH was dressed from head to toe in red and white the last time Hull Kingston Rovers reached Wembley, but the Huddersfield Giants second row will be doing all he can to shatter his home-town club's Carnegie Challenge Cup dream when the two sides meet in a televised fifth-round tie at Craven Park tomorrow.

Snitch joined family members in the stand at the old Wembley in 1997 when Rovers beat Hunslet 60-14 in the final of the short-lived Silk Cut Plate, a match which featured a hat-trick of tries from Stanley Gene.

The Papuan will again line up for Hull KR tomorrow to be cheered on by Snitch's friends and grandparents, who find themselves with divided loyalties as the 25-year-old bids for his second Challenge Cup final appearance.

"I'm an East Hull lad who spent most of my childhood on the terrace at Craven Park and most of my family are still Rovers fans, but at least my mum and dad will be behind me on Sunday," said Snitch, who has evolved from a 'crash and bash' front row to more of a ball-handling forward since the Giants' 42-12 defeat by St Helens at Twickenham two years ago.

"I never got to play for Rovers, but theirs is always one of the first results I look out for. Hopefully I won't have to look out for it come the quarter-finals."

Hull KR go into the tie lifted by a morale-boosting derby victory over Hull at the Millennium Stadium where Huddersfield once again surrendered a winning lead to suffer a shattering defeat by Warrington.

However, Snitch insists the Giants' self-belief remains unaffected by a fourth successive Super League defeat, a run which has left them second-bottom above strugglers Castleford.

"We've not played badly at all, we just need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot," said Snitch. "When you are 22-6 up you should never let the other team back into the game.

"There are no excuses for what happened last week and we know we have a great chance to start making amends this weekend."

Huddersfield have drafted in Stuart Jones as a replacement for the suspended Jamahl Lolesi and could recall captain Chris Thorman, who missed the defeat by Warrington with a dead leg. Rovers are unchanged from the team that secured a third successive Hull derby victory.

The Giants' match at Wigan on June 6, meanwhile, has had to be postponed due to emergency work on the much criticised pitch at the JJB Stadium. No date has yet been agreed for the re-scheduled fixture.

Wigan could also have to find an alternative venue should they secure a home tie in the quarter-final draw, which takes place live on the BBC News channel at 6.45 on Monday.

Danny Tickle misses his first match of the season for Hull at Widnes Vikings after failing to recover from the dead-leg he suffered at Cardiff last Sunday.

Tickle's place at loose forward is taken by Richard Whiting, who makes his first start of the season in what will also be his 100th match for Hull, while Craig Hall takes on the goal-kicking responsibilities.

Dewsbury are favourites in their home tie against National Two opponents Oldham, but the Rams' ambitions to reach the last eight for the first time in eight years could hinge on how fresh Andy Kelly's team are following their midweek defeat by Widnes.

The presence of Leeds full-back Brent Webb and Wigan scrum-half Thomas Leuluai could not prevent New Zealand from falling to a heavy 28-12 defeat by Australia in the Centenary Test in Sydney yesterday.

Both players were ordered to miss their club's Challenge Cup tie to feature in the international, New Zealand's first under the new coaching team of Stephen Kearney and Wayne Bennett.

Two tries by Mark Gasnier plus others from Paul Gallen and Cameron Smith helped Australia open up a 22-0 lead in a match played 100 years to the day since the countries first met in a Test match.

The Kiwis did claim second-half tries through Iosia Soliola and Sam Perrett, but a late score by Israel Folau secured a comfortable victory for Australia.