20 May 2023 , 17:49
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Danny Kirmond says York are out to show their Betfred Super League potential on Sunday.
They host Championship rivals London in the Betfred Challenge Cup sixth round. That means at least one second-tier club will be in the quarter-final draw - ready to give the big guns a run for their money. And ex-Wakefield second-row Kirmond, 37, said: “It’s a great opportunity.
“For a lot of our younger players, if we do get through, it’ll be a first time to test themselves against a Super League side and some of the best opposition in the game. It’s exciting and a massive goal for us but we know London will be thinking the same.
“We played them recently and only just won so we know they’re a really good side. But we know if we do progress, as well as facing a top-flight team, we’ll also get a chance to showcase York - both as a city and club - as one wanting to be part of Super League. That’s what we hope to achieve eventually and London will be looking to do the same.”
Under IMG's plans to 'reimagine' the sport, York - with their big city status, geographical location and various other factors - are a club who will fancy their chances of eventually getting into the elite division via the grading system. IMG have also already said they see the city of London as an important part of their plans so Broncos, who sit tenth in the Championship two points behind York, will also be encouraged.
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York won 30-28 a fortnight ago but Kirmond insisted: "It’s a completely different game in the Cup. It’s a cliche but true. We’ve trained a little bit differently going into a Cup game. You forget about form and it’s more performance-based. You have to get that performance bang on to get the win. It’s a massive game for London as well. Looking at where they’ve gone since getting relegated from Super League (in 2019) and having now moved forward as a club.
York City Knights' Danny Kirmond on the way to his seocnd try in the Challenge Cup win over Sheffield Eagles. (Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (NurPhoto via Getty Images)"We know they’ll be right up for it. They have a really good team, a great back-five and a good pack with some really senior players like Dean Parata who guides them around the field really well. It will be another tough one I’m sure."
London have also just signed ex-Penrith centre Dean Whare, 33, who's been playing for Pia Donkeys in France. Kirmond added: "He’s obviously a massive talent: a New Zealand international who played for Catalans last year. "They’re the kind of players you expect to finish in that French competition and get a Super League deal so it’s a massive coup for them and a sign of their intentions.
"But you see that a lot in the Championship. There’s a lot of clubs with aspirations of moving forward. It’s not the competition it was ten years ago when you had a couple of clubs who wanted to get promoted and that was it. It was a closed shop. Now there’s a lot of clubs wanting to advance and really show people they are in that Super League window."