Pre-Match Interview | James Glover | Wigan Warriors (H)
05/02/2025
Centre James Glover hopes the Sheffield Eagles can give a good account of themselves in Friday nights clash against Wigan Warriors in the Betfred Challenge Cup 3rd Round.
Tomorrow's game presents a significant test for the Eagles, who will be eager to put in a strong performance and showcase their capabilities against the reigning World Champions.
The match also serves as a crucial part of our preparation for the upcoming Betfred Championship campaign, with the season opener against Halifax only a week away.
While Wigan will undoubtedly be the favourites, cup competitions have a history of upsets as we well know, and Sheffield will be hoping to defy the odds against the Warriors once again just like they did at Wembley in 1998.
“The mood’s good ahead of Friday. We’ve had a bit of a shorter pre-season than normal, but we all feel as if we’re ready to go,” said Glover.
“We’ve had a few games to help us prepare – the friendly against Doncaster, the home game against West Bowling, and then an opposed session with Hunslet, so we feel like we’re slowly building up.
“We’re still working on our combinations, but overall, the atmosphere in camp is really positive, and the lads are looking forward to the game on Friday.”
“For us, this game is part of the bigger picture – the season starts next week, so it’s about continuing to build those combinations and making sure we’re ready for the first league game against Halifax.”
Glover is optimistic about the squad’s prospects this season, citing squad stability and key additions as reasons for the team’s growing confidence over the last couple of weeks.
“We’ve basically kept the core of the squad from last season, which is massive. On top of that, we’ve brought in some real quality in key areas, and that’s added some different dynamics to the team,” he added.
“The new lads who have come in are in important positions, so they’ll need to get used to the calls and the way we play, but they’ve settled in really well.
“Everyone’s just really excited about getting the season started and showing what we can do.”
With Wigan’s reputation as one of the best teams in the world, Glover acknowledges the challenge ahead tomorrow evening but remains hopeful.
“At the end of the day, it’s a cup competition, and anything can happen. We know Wigan are the best of the best – they’re World Champions for a reason.
“But they’re also looking ahead to their own season starting next weekend, just like we are, so they’ll be looking to get into the swing of things too.
“For us, it’s about putting our best foot forward, giving it our all, and making sure we give a good account of ourselves. Stranger things have happened in rugby league, so we’ll just go out there as a team, enjoy the occasion, and see what we can do.”
