Aberdeen Warriors have clocked up plenty of miles in their time, but on Saturday January 30 (2.00pm), the team bus will be given a rest as they host their first-ever home tie in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.
The Warriors, who were formed in 2010, entered the competition for the first time in 2014 – making the 600-mile round trip to Pilkington Recs and the 800-mile journey to Skirlaugh last year.
The Scottish side were beaten on both occasions, but the road to Wembley for Aberdeen begins on home soil this time round as the Warriors etch their names into history as the first Scottish side to host a Challenge Cup game.
“We’re over the moon and extremely excited to host a fixture,” said their head coach and founding member Craig Parslow.
“I think some of the city seems quite happy that we’ve got it as well. The council and Sport Aberdeen have been absolutely fantastic about hosting the game, especially with the way the weather has been this past week.
“It’s really special with the fact that Rugby League in Scotland was founded in Aberdeen, and to have our first home game in the Challenge Cup here is outstanding.”
Parslow, who has led the Warriors to many honours in the domestic game in Scotland, is preparing his side for the visit of one of student Rugby League’s biggest forces, Northumbria University.
Northumbria, who sit at the top of the Premier North division, will make a 500-mile trek for their encounter in the first round of the Challenge Cup. But Parslow believes the long trip may work in Aberdeen’s advantage.
“I think it will take a bit out of them,” he said. “When we went down to Pilkington and Skirlaugh, we were lucky that our guys took time off to go down the night beforehand.
“We left Aberdeen at five o’clock in the morning, which gave us time to do a training session the afternoon so we could prepare as much as possible.
“So I know what it’s like to do a big road trip, and that will tire them out, especially if they’re leaving early on Saturday morning. We know what it’s like; we travel on four, sometimes five-hour bus trips to games. It’s definitely an advantage for us that they are travelling a long distance and fingers crossed we can make it third time lucky and win.”
Tickets for the 2016 Ladbrokes Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday August 27 cost from as little as £20 and can be purchased by calling the RFL Ticket Office on 0844 856 1113 or by visiting www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.uk