Doncaster RLFC: Ryan Boyle ready to savour every moment in France

They take on holders Catalans Dragons at the Stade Gilbert Brutus in Saturday’s Coral Challenge Cup sixth round tie.

The star-studded Catalans side became the first team outside of England to lift the Challenge Cup when beating Warrington at Wembley last August.

The only team to beat Super League leaders St Helens this season moved into fourth place in Super League with a 37-6 demolition of third placed Hull FC at the weekend.

“We know we’ve got a massive job on our hands but we’ll be looking to take as much experience as we can out of the game,” said skipper Ryan Boyle.

Boyle is no stranger to the Stade Gilbert Brutas having played there with Castleford and Salford and finished on the winning side on occasions.

Boyle has welcomed the club’s decision to travel the day before and return home on Sunday rather than travelling there and back the same day as some top flight sides have done and is looking forward to the game.

“It’s not every day that teams in our division either get to play in France or tackle the Cup holders in front of a big crowd so we should enjoy the experience,” he said.

“We are the last League One side left in the competition so we’ve got nothing to lose and hopefully we’ll do ourselves justice on the day.

“As I say, we know it is going to be tough – not least because Catalans have found some good form in recent weeks after a mixed start. They are a big physical side with a lot of quality.

“But it one of those games that if you aren’t excited about then you probably shouldn’t be playing. Realistically it’s not about the result, it’s about the performance.

“We’ve certainly got to respect the ball and not gift them possession.

“It’s going to be important that we try and build pressure and not try and score every time we’ve got the ball as we have been doing in the league this season.

“We’ve not made the start to the league campaign that we had hoped to and last weekend’s 1895 Cup game against West Wales probably came at the right time after successive league defeats. We’ll go to France with a win under our belts.”