Jonathan Davies
Former Wales international on BBC One

It's unfortunate, but that's what players aim for now. The post padding is a target you can try and hit. You don't know where the ball will go. You can't defend it.

Andrew Henderson
Warrington Wolves assistant coach on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

St Helens have had a lot of possession and field position and they have now capitalised on it.

It's arguably a little fortuitous but it was a nice little kick through by Jonny Lomax

Theo Fages has the ball down for St Helens and referee Liam Watts is going to the video referee.

Standby folks.

Castleford are being camped deep inside their own half and there's a drop out inside their own goal area as St Helens keep up their early pressure.

I do wonder whether the conditions are playing their part. We're not even 10 minutes in and some players look exhausted.

Emily Chapman: My favourite sporting day of the year, challenge cup final. My team may not be playing but it’s still going to be a game and a half!

Controversy as, in the midst of that battle deep in Castleford's 10,Theo Fages spills the ball but referee Liam Moore waves play on and not long after that, grants St Helens another set of six.

Eventually Cas put the pressure on and get possession of the ball but what a frantic start this is.

Both sides look charged up.

John Kear
Wales & Bradford Bulls coach on BBC One

We're set for a spectacular, spectacular occasion.

St Helens win the first penalty of the game just behind halfway and it's the first error from Castleford.

Saints work their way upfield and win another set of six soon after Theo Fages bolsters his way through the Cas back line.

The ball is worked back to Fages who is brought down by Jesse Sene-Lefao.

Martin O'Brien: Cheering for Cas today, this feels very wrong. As long there's a bit of biff, we should be alright!

Can't even begin to think what it's like inside Wembley right now for these two teams playing in this sort of heat.

I'm sat with a fan directly in front of me and I'm still boiling.

Castleford get this one under way.

The 2021 Challenge Cup final gets going. Let's hope it's a good one!

Andy: Just remembered at a Wembley Challenge Cup final long ago, the enormous, tough-guy I’d gone with literally sobbing at the pre-game ‘Abide With Me’.

It's a proper heart-wrencher ain't it.

Image source, Rex Features

Fabulous. The roar of the crowd goes up after that and how lovely it is to have a proper atmosphere in a rugby league game after so long.

Prior to kick-off, both sides show their support against discrimination, with another roar going up from the sizable crowd in attendance.

And, with the players lined up and ready for kick-off, Sabrina Washington will now perform the national anthem.

Jon Wilkin
Former England international on BBC One

Saints know they're the better team, but that doesn't guarantee you the win.

If Saints produce errors then Castleford are in with a chance.

A rousing rendition of Abide With Me there.

And here come the players. It's almost time.

Right then, kick-off is just a few minutes' away, and the crowd is in position at a baking hot Wembley Stadium.

It's almost time for Abide With Me, too, with Sabrina Washington singing it today.

The trophy is out and we're almost ready to go.

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Rex Features

St Helens name their side to face Castleford today, with Lachlan Coote starting at full-back and Jack Welsby on the bench.

The veteran Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook is part of the starting line-up for Saints, who are without the suspsended Sione Mata'utia.

St Helens: Coote, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Fages, Walmsley, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Thompson, Batchelor, Knowles.

Interchanges: Lees, Amor, Paasi, Welsby.

As anticipated, here is the much-changed Castleford line-up after they fielded a youthful side in their thumping by Salford last week.

Castleford: Evalds, Turner, Shenton, Mata'utia, Olpherts, Trueman, O'Brien, Massey, Holmes, Sene-Lefao, Millington, McShane, Griffin.

Interchanges: Watts, Milner, Foster, Smith.