Whitehaven-born Lee Mossop didn't sleep before Covid-19 test cleared him for Coral Challenge Cup final

Covid-19 tests twice came back inconclusive before Mossop was cleared to play in this afternoon's Wembley showpiece, where he could come up against former Wath Brow Hornets amateur and current Leeds Rhinos star James Donaldson.

Mossop said: "It was awful, honest to God.

"I tend to be someone who doesn't really get fazed by much or get stressed but I didn't sleep for two nights.

"You had a 48-hour wait to see if you were able to play in one of the biggest occasions in rugby league."

While there was relief for Mossop, he has sympathy for team-mate Dan Sarginson who, along with back-up player Jack Ormondroyd, was ruled out of Wembley after his Covid-19 test came back positive.

"It's absolutely devastating for them," he said.

"I rang Sarge and, although he was devastated at the start of the week, he's managed to get his head round it.

"He was just petrified thinking he had possibly passed it onto me and Mark so, once we told him that we were fine, that was a massive relief.

"He said he wouldn't have forgiven himself if he had brought it into the camp.

"I just feel for both of them, they've trained so hard, and Sarge in particular has been massive for us all season."

Salford's march to their first Wembley appearance for 51 years comes just 12 months since they reached a maiden Grand Final but, after losing to St Helens at Old Trafford, Mossop says they need to win a trophy to prove they are a genuine top club.

"Almost immediately after the Grand Final last year we said we didn't want it to be a flash in the pan," he said.

"We want to start changing people's perceptions of the club and to do that you've got to do these regularly.

"For it to mean anything and to have a solid effect, I think we have to win it tomorrow.

"We want to write our own history for ourselves but also for the club and the fans for what they've been through in recent years."