Danny McGuire hopes his Challenge Cup story can help Hull KR on biggest stage

The former Great Britain half-back ended his glittering playing career with eight Super League titles, two Challenge Cups, three World Club Challenge wins and the same number of League Leaders' Shield successes, all in the colours of hometown club Leeds Rhinos.

McGuire was a fierce competitor but even winners have bad days.

The Rhinos famously lost six cup finals between their wins in 1999 and 2014. McGuire featured in three of those deciders after suffering the pain of missing out on the 2003 showpiece despite firing Leeds to Cardiff with a scintillating double against St Helens in the semi-finals.

In his own words, he had a "real love-hate relationship with the Challenge Cup" but those good and bad experiences could prove invaluable to Rovers this week, particularly the players that miss out on selection for Saturday's Wembley showdown with Leigh Leopards.

"That was probably what I needed at that time," the KR assistant coach told The Yorkshire Post as he looked back on his surprise omission 20 years ago.

"I probably needed a little setback to give me that motivation. I honestly believed I'd be playing in that final and it never crossed my mind that I wouldn't.

"There are going to be some disappointed players. The biggest thing I did – and I'm really proud of myself for doing it – was stay part of the team, didn't sulk, warmed up and did everything possible to prepare the team as best as I could.

"We're going to have some of the same things this week but I think we've got a really good harmony within the team. There are no players I feel will sulk and have an effect on the players.

"I've not been picked, I've lost finals and have won as well so I've experienced the rollercoaster of the Challenge Cup."

Hull KR's love affair with the cup has largely been a one-sided relationship.

The Robins have reached the final on seven occasions and only lifted the trophy once, under the leadership of the great Roger Millward in 1980.

McGuire could be forgiven for keeping a low profile this week after helping to inflict a record Challenge Cup final defeat on Rovers on the club's last visit to Wembley in 2015.

"It's weird how things pan out," he said.

"There are so many little subplots. Chezzie (former Hull KR head coach Chris Chester) is over there and myself, Frog (fellow KR assistant Brett Delaney) and Hally (Ryan Hall) played for Leeds with Tom Briscoe and Zak Hardaker who are now at Leigh.

"That game was almost perfection from us. You get a plan of how you want to attack and what you want to do defensively and very rarely do you 100 per cent nail it. I don't think we were far off that day and unfortunately Rovers were on the end of that.

"The club have been starved of the trophy for so long now. I love history and how the players from 1980 are revered but it would be really nice if our boys could create some new history and storylines."

The 40-year-old has taken his competitive edge into his coaching career, as evidenced by his celebrations when Rovers booked their place in Saturday's Wembley showpiece with a thrilling golden-point win over Wigan Warriors.

Former players speak about missing the buzz generated by winning big games but McGuire has found the next best thing.

"It's the same," he said on the satisfaction of helping to guide a club to a final as a coach.

"I was absolutely buzzing when we won the semi. When you experience the finals and the build-up as a player, that's what I miss as a coach so to get our boys the opportunity to experience that, that's why I was so excited.

"I knew what they'd get to experience and was so pleased for them. After the amount of work they put into pre-season and what they've done this year, they deserve it. That's why I was overly excited."

After reaching a major final at the third attempt following semi-final defeats in the previous two seasons, McGuire believes Rovers are ready to emulate the heroes of 1980.

"We have been building and expectations are a bit higher now from within and from outside as well," he added.

"The next challenge for us as a club and a squad is to win some silverware. We've put ourselves in a really good position.

"There will be a bit of anxiety and a bit of nerves but I believe we've got the team that can handle that."

For McGuire, there is the opportunity to complete the player-coach double by getting his hands on the trophy again.

There is little chance of the experienced campaigner getting carried away with that thought, though.

"I'd love to see Skidsy (Shaun Kenny-Dowall) lift it but we need to go through our processes and Leigh are a great team as well," said McGuire.

"It's going to a real big challenge but one we're all excited for."