Hull KR winger Louis Senior ‘pretty gutted’ as more Challenge Cup final heartbreak looms large

Hall has been named in head coach Willie Peters’ initial XXI for the clash with Leigh Leopards on Saturday after shrugging off the calf injury sustained in the warm-up before last month’s semi-final win over Wigan Warriors.

Rovers’ relief will be small solace for Senior, who scored the opening try in that memorable golden-point triumph but who now faces being sidelined just over a year after he was also relegated to the role of spectator while his identical twin brother Innes paraded on the Wembley turf.

“I’m pretty gutted that I’m probably going to be missing out on Saturday, especially having been through it all last year when I was there to support my brother,” Senior told the PA news agency.

“I played in both the quarter-final and the semi-final and coming so close makes it even harder. It’s such a special atmosphere at Wembley and it’s something I have always dreamed of being involved in.”

Senior and his brother rose through the Huddersfield Giants ranks together but their fortunes diverged shortly before last year’s final when Louis was told by head coach Ian Watson that he would play no part in the showpiece clash.

The duo are routinely mistaken for one another but there was no disguising the difference as Innes helped the Giants push Matt Peet’s men to the limit in a 16-14 loss, while Louis wrestled with the emotions of being surplus to requirements in the stands.

Within two months Senior had made the difficult decision to leave his childhood club and link up with Rovers, a move that has seen him achieve increasing prominence in a side that is also well placed to force their way into the end-of-season play-offs.

“It was tough to leave Huddersfield whom I had supported since I was little,” admitted Senior, who is likely to be employed as 18th man on Saturday, meaning he will only play in the unlikely event that three Rovers players fail head-injury assessments during the game.

“I made a slow start at Rovers but I knew it was the best decision career-wise and I feel like I’m not too far off one of those permanent starting positions now.

“I got goosebumps just warming up for the semi-final at Headingley and the setbacks I’ve had have just made me more determined to return to be a part of those big occasions.”