Leeds Rhinos’ Richard Agar and Salford Red Devils’ Ian Watson on the long road to Wembley

As the two British coaches set out to lift the most prestigious trophy in the sport, they both arrive at their current position from unusual starting points.

As creative half-backs, each spent most of their playing careers in the lower leagues, far from the lofty heights they now find themselves in as coaches.

Stand-off Agar, indeed, never played Super League, instead operating at Dewsbury Rams but also with Featherstone Rovers, Rochdale and – briefly alongside Watson as they earned promotion in 2001 – Widnes Vikings.

Watson did start in the top-flight with Salford but, aged 21, was sold to Swinton Lions and – save for a solitary season back with Super League Salford in 2002 – Wales’ most-capped international earned a reputation as one of the Championship’s best halves, whether at Swinton, Rochdale, Oldham, Halifax or Leigh.

“We probably played against each other more than together as a partnership,” recalled Agar, as the pair were asked about those formative days in the build-up to tomorrow’s Challenge Cup final.

“At Widnes, I sat on the bench, a bit, Ian sat on the bench a bit so we maybe played six or eight games together in that season but we’d have played against each other plenty. Did you play the one at Dewsbury when the lights went out. There was a massive fight?”

Watson responded: “I can’t remember. But I used to always look at the seven I was playing against so, with Dewsbury, Barry Eaton was the big team-mate of yours.

“I’d leave the six for our six to sort out! Barry was always my competition when we were coming up against you guys.”

It is refreshing to see two coaches rise through the ranks as they have. This is Agar’s second time leading a side at Wembley although he is “radically different” as a coach to when his Hull side lost against St Helens in 2008.

He has also coached Wakefield Trinity, France, Warrington Wolves and even in the NRL for St George Illawarra, as well as being John Kear’s No2 when Hull beat Leeds in 2005.

Watson has produced miracles in five years at Salford, helping them survive the drop in 2016 to reaching a maiden Grand Final last term when he was also employed as one of Wayne Bennett’s Great Britain assistants.

Agar, who at 48 is five years older than his rival, does not know whether their progress can be described as a “good advert” for the Championship, as such.

“I just think it probably depends on the person; about your passion, your love for the game but probably your understanding of the game as well,” he said.

“Ian was a deep-thinking scrum-half, very clever, who knows the game inside out and he’s been able, as a communicator, to get that over to his players.

“I do think you can find any example to support your theory. You can find guys who have coached at the highest level who have never played much more than park football and then find the superstars who have been world-class coaches, too.

“But the biggest quality you can have as a coach is the ability to work hard. That doesn’t always guarantee you success but a love and passion for the sport and understanding of it and being prepared to work hard is important.”

Agar, who retired at 31 and started out as York City Knights coach before becoming assistant at Hull, added: “One thing about coming out of the Championship and not having an illustrious blue-chip career is you probably have to work a little bit harder.

“I only ever saw that as a benefit. My first ever jobs were Featherstone Lions in the (National) Conference when I was still playing and England Students. I realise I made so many mistakes but mistakes that the players probably didn’t know that I was making. It was a good grounding.”