The South West London team host Bradford Bulls at Twickenham Stoop
London Broncos coach Tony Rea heralded the return of David Howell ahead of Friday’s Challenge Cup 5th Round tie against Bradford Bulls on Friday night.
The Broncos host the five-times winner of the competition at Twickenham Stoop at 8pm hoping to make it through to the quarter-finals.
The Challenge Cup game is arguably London’s biggest of the season and Howell was named among the 19-man squad after recovering from a broken arm he suffered in the club’s opening day loss to Widnes Vikings.
Rea said: “It’s good to have David Howell back. He’s been out a long time and has worked hard to get into form.
“He’s done the hard work off the field. It’s terrific to have him back.”
London came crashing back down to earth in their last Super League outing, going into half-time 12-6 behind at Hull FC before capitulating in an eventual 48-12 defeat.
Rea bemoaned his team ‘quitting on their mates’ as the Broncos fell apart at the KC Stadium but is looking forward to Friday’s cup clash.
“Like any Challenge Cup game it’s an honour for the players to get picked,” he said. “It’s very important that the players get themselves right for this contest.”
The furthest London have ever gone in the competition is the 1999 final when Virgin Group supremo, and then majority shareholder of the club, Richard Branson led the team out before they lost out to Leeds Rhinos.
The Broncos beat Championship outfit, Featherstone Rovers, in the last round of the cup and comprehensively beat St Helens in the league a week later and will be looking for a third successive home win when high-flying Bradford visit the Stoop.
Photo courtesy of LondonBroncosRL via YouTube, with thanks.
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