Huddersfield Giants v Warrington Wolves: Ian Watson draws on 2022 Challenge Cup experience in bid to make it third time lucky

The Giants were too good for Hull KR at Elland Road two years ago, easing to a 25-4 victory to book their place in the Tottenham showpiece.

Huddersfield fell short in agonising fashion against Wigan Warriors but Watson is focusing on the positives from that cup run ahead of Sunday's last-four clash with Warrington Wolves.

"You want to go to the final and remember it for winning not through coming second," he said.

"But the experience of going to a semi-final before and doing it, and then going to a final, you understand what you did right and what you did wrong to be able to rectify that.

"It's always good to have those experiences in your back pocket."

Watson has flirted with Challenge Cup success during his time as a coach, losing by a point with Salford Red Devils in 2020 before suffering more late pain as Huddersfield boss.

The Giants are not short of motivation, led by Watson and former Salford players Luke Yates and Tui Lolohea who are chasing glory at the third attempt.

"The big thing is it would be real special for the group we've got," said Watson.

"On a personal level, with the work I've done with Luke Yates, Tui Lolohea and some of the backroom staff, to be able to get there and win something together would be special.

"Then there's the way we've seen guys like Sam Hewitt, Matty English and Oli Wilson grow. To get there and see them rewarded for the hard work and sacrifices they've made would be special, not only for me but the whole club."

Huddersfield head into the semi-final at the Totally Wicked Stadium smarting from a 48-6 home drubbing by Wigan.

Watson has called on the Giants to go back to basics, an approach that earned them a shock win at Catalans Dragons in the previous round.

"What we've got to do is stick to our core values and beliefs about playing as a team," he said.

"It's shown in recent games that when we come away from that and go more to being individuals, we fall apart a little bit; when we focus on doing our jobs and playing as a team, we've won the majority of those games or have been very close like the St Helens one.

"Rugby is a simple game: if you do the fundamentals really, really well, you give yourselves a shot."

Watson's men have played Wigan and St Helens twice in the opening months of Super League but are yet to face Warrington.

The Wolves are joint top in the early stages of Sam Burgess' reign to raise hopes of a concerted challenge in the league.

Watson is looking forward to a game of cat and mouse with his former protégé Martin Gleeson in this weekend's do-or-die cup match.

"They're a different team this year with a new attacking coach in Gleese," said Watson.

"I obviously know Gleese and the way he thinks, and he'll know the stuff that we look at as well. That will be a good challenge.

"Sam has brought more steel to the mentality of how they play the game, so they're set up differently to the past.

"But the one thing you can expect in a semi-final is that everyone is going to want to perform and be at their best.

"We've got to make sure we're at our best and trouble them with our strengths."