Inaugural winner Anthony Thackeray and what would be his ‘dream ending’ | 1895 Cup Final

Sheffield Eagles have a 100% winning record at Wembley, having appeared at the country’s National Stadium three times in the club’s history.

Come Saturday, the Eagles will make a second Wembley appearance in five years and their captain Anthony Thackeray is relishing their return.

The Sheffield stalwart has made over 100 appearances for the South Yorkshire side, including their AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final win in 2019 – the inaugural year of the competition.

In what will be his last season playing the professional sport, the 38-year-old is hoping for a dream ending to his career, which would be to lift the 1895 Cup trophy once more in 2024, alongside his Sheffield team-mates.

“We can’t wait,” Thackeray said. 

“It’s going to be good. In my first year of joining Sheffield, the club won the competition, and it was one of the best weekends of my life.

“It was unreal and just walking out at Wembley was something special. My young lad was there beside me and it’s moments and memories like that which you can’t buy.”

 

 

The Eagles ran out 36-18 against winners against Widnes Vikings in 2019 and Thackeray, who scooped up the first ever Ray French Award as Player of the Match for a top performance, marks it as both an overwhelming and unforgettable occasion:

“It was surreal. There was a Wembley tour and a shirt presentation beforehand, and then I can’t even remember too much about the game to be honest.”

Contributing a fantastic length of the field try to bring his side back into the game, the Eagles racked up a total of six tries to emerge victors in the 2019 Final, and Thackeray admitted it was a dream come true:

“It’s everyone’s dream growing up to play at massive stadiums and they don’t come any bigger than Wembley.

 

 

“It was a dream come true, and such a big occasion because it was the first year of the competition. We didn’t know what to expect. Initially we thought that we would end up playing more games because of this new competition, and as a part-time player you want to be playing less games, really.

“But you wouldn’t change that for the world now – it was awesome.”

To reach the 1895 Cup Final, it was York Knights who Sheffield had to beat in the 1895 Cup semi-finals. Mark Aston’s men pulled through with a 28-18 win away from home, but Thackeray spoke of how difficult game a game it was for his side:

“It was a bit of a strange one. Over the past few years, York have been a bit of a bogey side for us, and because they hadn’t been doing so well in the league, we knew that the semi-final could have been a little bit of a banana skin for us.

“We knew we had to go there with our A game again. We got ourselves off to a great start and then York managed to claw their way back in it.

 

 

“Thankfully, we always managed to keep in front which was important. It was one of the games we spoke about, however - it’s doesn’t matter what your league form is, it’s 80 minutes and it’s a cup competition.”

For Thackeray, this year is equally as exciting as his first final in 2019, but will also be an emotional one and here’s why…

“There are a few different things this year; especially around me personally. It’s my last season playing, so I’ve got to go out there and enjoy every game,” Thackeray revealed.

“And that’s what I’m going to do on Saturday. Sheffield have been there, done it, and won it and we want to do it again. For me, it’ll be all about enjoying it and relaxing a little bit more, rather than getting too anxious or nervous about it.

“Ultimately, we want to go there and enjoy it.”

On the topic of retirement, fans can cast their minds back to 2022, when it was announced that Thackeray had decided to retire of the end of this season. But a couple of conversations later from numerous individuals, the Sheffield number 7 was persuaded to stay for another year, which turned into another year - bringing us to 2024 and right up to this point…

 

 

“I keep getting told to do one more year, do one more year!” Thackeray laughed.

“But this year will be my last. I’m 38 now and it’s just that time. It could have been that time two years ago – in my mind I was done – and the only thing that probably stopped me was the people closest to me.

“I also had conversations with the coaching staff at the time and they said I was still playing at a very high level and was fit and healthy, so not to retire just yet.

“It was a great group of lads at that time, and I still love the sport. I love playing and I love going to training but it will be my last this time."

Rugby League is everything to Anthony Thackeray, but so are his family, as he looks ahead at life beyond his playing days:

“I’ve got two young boys who play their sports on weekend in different places, and I’m finding it harder now with all the commitments – working, travelling, then playing and family time.

“It’s time for me to step back and put more time into family time. So for this season, it’s all about enjoying it. It should be like that at any stage of your career, but especially with mine now, you’ve just got to enjoy it. 

“We’ve had a good start to the season so far, so it’s a good time for me to sign off.”

But first, Thackeray’s focus will firmly turn to the upcoming final, where standing in Sheffield’s way on Saturday will be an ambitious and in-form Wakefield Trinity side. 

The Eagles welcomed Trinity to the Olympic Legacy Park in Round 7 of the Betfred Championship, but a flurry of late Trinity tries in the first half gave the Eagles far too much work to do, as they went on to suffer a 36-10 defeat on home soil.

 

 

Honest as ever, Thackeray reflected on their previous meeting:

“Wakefield started really fast in that game which put us under pressure, and then they scored early on.

“We did get into the game - it was 6-6 and it was a real arm wrestle up until five minutes before half time. That’s where they managed to get a few tries and that blew the score out a bit. The second half was close as well.

“The score-line probably didn’t do us justice if I’m honest, but don’t get me wrong, they thoroughly deserved the win that day. They’re big, strong, fast and have a lot of quality on the edges.

“They [Wakefield] are a class outfit - their squad is practically a Super League squad. It’s an old cliché like I just mentioned, but it’s 80 minutes, it’s one game, cup rugby - anything can happen as we’ve seen in the past!”

Leading Sheffield to victory on Saturday as captain would mean a lot to Thackeray, who believes his side share a collective belief and determination that they can challenge their seemingly invincible opponents for the trophy:

“It would be incredible. You always get one or two outstanding teams in this competition. Don’t get me wrong all the teams in this competition are good – you have to turn up every week or you get beat that’s a fact, but you’ve had your Leigh, Featherstone, and Toulouse teams of years gone past where they blew teams away and were always finishing top of the league.

“But they were always beatable and would slip up here and there, so hopefully we can catch Wakefield on an off day.

“We know it’s going to be a tough and we’re going to have to be on the top of our game. But if we can get 50/50 ball and we compete for everything, then who knows?”

Having been with the Eagles for four seasons, and this one being his fifth, Thackeray has found well and truly found a second home and has become an integral part of the Sheffield club.

“I love this club. I’ve made over 100 appearances for Sheffield and it’s the only club I’ve ever done that for and I’ve been playing a fair few years now.

 

 

“I just love what it’s about, we’ve been built year on year, and I’ve been there through it all. The club is great and the fans are first class – they’re really loud and passionate and love the club to bits.

“Sheffield is what I call home now and I wouldn’t want to play for anyone else. Even if I wasn’t the age I was now, I still wouldn’t go anywhere else. I had opportunity to go elsewhere when my contract was up a few years ago and there wasn’t anywhere else I wanted to play.

“It’s a great club and it means a lot to me.”

As the highly-anticipated Wembley Finals Day fast approaches, there will also be a few interesting tales for some of the Sheffield players on Sunday. 

While Thackeray hopes to claim another Wembley win which would ultimately top off his career, his half-back partner Cory Aston will have the chance to follow in his father and head coach, Mark Aston’s, footsteps and play at Wembley Stadium.

Players from the 2019 Final will be present in the squad, and the likes of Ben Jones-Bishop and Jesse Sene-Lefao will aim to achieve their first ever win at Wembley after numerous attempts. 

And for Titus Gwaze, the trip to Wembley will be a birthday treat – and even more so if Sheffield can go on to lift the trophy.

“It gives you goose bumps hearing those little stories behind the day,” Thackeray added.

“You’ve seen people lifting the Challenge Cup and 1895 Cup trophy and you can never grasp just how special those moments are.

“It would mean a lot and it’s going mean a lot to a lot of people on Saturday. You don’t get these moments often in sport and it’s our chance to write our names in the history books again.

“We’ve got a real good tight knit and quality squad this year - and despite whoever gets picked on that day and whoever doesn’t – ultimately we’re all one and it’d be great to go up there and lift that trophy.

“What will be will be. We’re going there to enjoy it and we want to play really well on the day. It would be a dream ending, but whether it becomes a reality or not, we will wait and see.”

Can Thackeray and Sheffield become the first team to win the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup twice?

 

The 2024 AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final will take place on Saturday 8 June, K.O. 5.45pm at Wembley Stadium. The match will be streamed LIVE and FREE on SuperLeague+. Details can be found here.

 

The AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final (KO 5.45pm) is part of a Finals Day triple-header at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8 June, alongside the finals of the Betfred Women's Challenge Cup (KO 11.45am) and Men's 2024 Betfred Challenge Cup Final (KO 3.07pm). Plus, there will be the traditional Year 7 Boys’ Champion Schools Final at 10am. Tickets are available online now from only £20 Adults and £10 Under 16s, with family packages also available.

 

Photo Credit: Sheffield Eagles