SAINTS will have to put thoughts of July’s Challenge Cup semi-final on the back burner and stay focused on Super League despite the ripple of excitement that has shot through the town.

They are now hot favourites to reach their first Wembley since 2008 after being paired with Championship side Halifax in the last four.

And although the fans will be going into overdrive, booking tickets for the semi and even Wembley, coach Justin Holbrook is keen for the players not to take their eyes off the ball.

He said: “There are a lot of games between now and then, but will look forward to that for sure.

“We have to put the cup to one side, we are happy to be in the semi but it is seven weeks away and we have to knuckle back down in the league.”

Having lost five semi-finals since 2008 - often when they have gone in as favourites - Saints will be taking nothing for granted against the underdogs.

They will be the second semi final at Bolton, kicking off at 4.30pm, with the Warrington v Hull FC tie preceding it.

Without wishing to be disrespectful to Halifax, Holbrook was happy with the draw.

“I am not going to lie and pretend anything different.

“We wanted to play Halifax, but Hull and Warrington would have wanted to do that too.

“But in saying that we are going to be preparing for a tough game,” Holbrook said,

Saints, who lead Super League by six points, make a first visit to the Ealing home of London Broncos.

Again, after seeing them topple Wakefield and Wigan down there, it is a fixture that Holbrook is not taking for granted.

He said: “It is a difficult away game and we have seen that a number of times this year and we have to go there with the real good mindset to keep performing the way we have been.

“It does give us the option to rest a couple of players, but that is nothing to do with it being London.

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"The fact that we have been up so long and have had the Anfield Magic game and then backed it up with a Challenge Cup quarter final.

"The fact that we are through now means that we don’t get a rest now. It will give a chance over the next couple of weeks to give a few players a rest given there will be no rest from January 31 to October 12. "Everyone is going to need a freshen up if they are carrying a little niggle or injury.

"Every game is important but we have to be smart about it. You need time off mentally and physically and will use the next few weeks to give players the rest they had last year with the international break, that they won’t get this year."

In early team news Theo Fages will return after sitting out the cup game under the seven-day concussion protocol.

He displaces Jonny Lomax for the trip to London, with Danny Richardson keeping his spot in the team.

"Danny will play again this week, Jonny will get a rest because he has been up for so long," Holbrook said.