ON Sunday Warrington will play host to a Challenge Cup semi-final for the first time in 67 years.

St Helens and Huddersfield Giants will go into battle at The Halliwell Jones Stadium at 3.15pm for the right to play Wigan Warriors in the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on May 15.

It will be the first time that either side has played at the £12m venue which opened in February for the start of this season.

Saints, although hit with newspaper allegations of Sean Long and Martin Gleeson betting on their weakened side to lose against Bradford on April 12, remain favourites after knocking out holders Bradford Bulls, last year's runners-up Leeds Rhinos and top six contenders Hull FC en route to reaching the semi-finals stage.

Huddersfield, like Warrington Wolves going into their semi-final, have not yet met Super League opposition in their cup run but have made the best start they have had to a Super League campaign.

The match is spiced up by Giants' head coach Jon Sharp having been assistant to Ian Millward at St Helens last year.

At the last Challenge Cup semi to take place in Warrington in 1937 there were 29,260 people packed in at Wilderspool Stadium. Widnes beat Wigan 13-9 and went on to lift the cup at Wembley.

Three earlier Challenge Cup semi-finals took place in Warrington with Widnes beating Barrow in 1930, St Helens drawing with Rochdale Hornets in 1915 and Salford edging out Keighley in 1906.