Nobody, outside the changing rooms at KC Stadium, gives Hull any chance at all of upsetting holders St Helens as they bid for a third successive Cup final triumph.

But in the tradition of Cup underdogs throughout the history of the competition, that doesn't bother Black and Whites' coach Richard Agar in the slightest.

"There's no pressure on us," Agar, who has taken Hull to Wembley after less than six months in charge, told Yorkshire Sport.

"Expectations are fairly low and we can go out with absolutely nothing to lose.

"I think anybody would struggle to beat Saints for big match-experience and with the exception of Leeds, most clubs would go in against them as overwhelming underdogs.

"We have played our way into that tag, but I can guarantee that there's 20 blokes internally who think we have got a chance."

For most teams bumping along at the wrong end of the engage Super League table, just getting to the final would be considered a success. Not so for Hull, according to Agar.

"We are putting a lot of time and effort into it," he stressed. "We are going to enjoy the weekend, our friends and family are anyway, but as a group our main focus is to go there and win the game.

"I think we can. I am not going to play down the fact we are playing probably the greatest team of the modern era.

"Wigan had years and years of success, but St Helens have taken over the mantle.

"We are playing a great team playing at the peak of their powers.
"They have won 19 on the trot and we know the size of the task.

"But to be honest, if we didn't think we could win we wouldn't bother turning up and I should not be in the job.

"We have got enough experience and enough ability to give it a shot."
Agar won't dispute the fact Hull's league form since their epic semi-final triumph over Wakefield Trinity Wildcats – indeed their performance all season – has been poor.

Some of their recent displays, he believes, have been affected by their looming appearance at the National Stadium.

"It's not an excuse, but it's human nature," he said. "They are bound to have their minds on the final and we have wrapped a couple of them in cotton wool."

At the beginning of the campaign Hull had hopes of a high finish in Super League and possibly a second Grand Final appearance in three years.

So would winning the Cup make this a successful season?
Agar – assistant to John Kear when Hull beat Leeds Rhinos in the 2005 final – says: "Winning the Challenge Cup is always a success, you can never under-estimate how big an achievement that is for a club.

"But you can't hide the fact we have under-achieved in the league. Over the last three or four years we have been very successful, we have reached three major finals, the under-21s have reached three finals and we've basically never finished outside the top-four.

"Finishing 11th is a disappointing season and it is way below our expectations.

"However, we recognise there are some reasons why that's happened and hopefully we can put them right and change our luck for next year."

Saints will be appearing in their third successive Challenge Cup final – having won the previous two, against Huddersfield Giants in 2006 and Les Catalans Dragons last year.

They are also aiming for a third straight Grand Final appearance this term and Agar knows the holders won't be fazed by anything that happens over the next six days or during the final itself.

"Sean Long has won the Lance Todd Trophy three times and Keiron Cunningham is edging towards Shaun Edwards' record of Challenge Cup success," he said. "They have a lot of big-match experience.

Right through the team, they have played in Challenge Cups and Grand Finals – but that is the challenge in front of us and we've got to meet it head on.

"It makes it all the more exciting, but if you look through our team, we shouldn't be overawed. We have got players with NRL Grand Final experience, Super League Grand Finals, Challenge Cup finals, State of Origin games and Test matches, all big games in front of big crowds – both the English players and the overseas contingent.

"The problem we've had this year is we've struggled to get them all on the park at one time.

"Touch wood and fingers crossed, this game might be the first time this season we see the bulk of them out there."

Bookies William Hill have Saints as overwhelming favourites, at 1/7 to become only the third team to win the trophy in three successive seasons. Hull are 4/1 outsiders.

Saints winger Ade Gardner is 10/1 favourite to be first try scorer, with the Hull quartet of Matt Sing, Kirk Yeaman, Gareth Raynor and Craig Hall all 16/1.

The holders are also short odds to claim the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match.

Three-time winner Sean Long is 5/1 favourite. Hull's semi-final man of the match Adam Dykes is 12/1.

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