England scrum-half Paul Deacon will suffer Murrayfield heartbreak today as Bulls coach Matthew Elliott has the unenviable task of trimming his squad ahead of the Silk Cut Challenge Cup final with arch rivals Leeds Rhinos.

Elliott was due to announce an 18-man squad to the press at Murrayfield today as the match was given the go-ahead after a pitch inspection.

The T&A has learned that Deacon, Aussie Hudson Smith and young back-rower Lee Radford are the unfortunate ones in the firing line if the game goes ahead as is now anticipated.

"It's been a very tough decision process and I don't like having to disappoint my players," said Elliott. "I told all three players individually and of course they were bitterly disappointed as I would expect them to be.

"But they have all played a big part is us getting here and they have all got big roles to play in the future," he stressed.

One more player faces final despair but Elliott will not reveal his hand until just before kick-off.

Leeds have caused their own talking point by leaving out Kevin Sinfield along with fringe players Karl Pratt and Chev Walker in their side named this lunchtime.

Deacon's omission for the Bulls is perhaps the biggest surprise even though he has only had two games back following a broken foot.

The Paul brothers have been in dazzling form at half-back in his absence but many expected Deacon to be named on the bench to give them another attacking option.

But with him out of the running it now seems likely that wingers Leon Pryce, Tevita Vaikona and Justin Brooker are fighting for the left flank position and one available substitute slot.

Stiff back-row competition has meant there is no place for Smith, despite some good contributions off the bench, or Radford, who has been missing from the starting 17 on just two occasions this season.

The Bulls flew north as planned yesterday despite the floods in the Scottish capital which put the match in serious doubt.

Meanwhile Elliott is determined that the Bulls will finally silence the critics who say they are "chokers' in big finals. St Helens have inflicted two Challenge Cup final defeats on the Bulls in 1996 and 1997 as well as beating them in last season's Grand Final at Old Trafford.

Elliott said: "In four years of Super League we have had one bad season and been beaten in a couple of big finals but people don't remember consistency - they only remember trophies and we have only one Super League title so far."

We recognise that we have the biggest support in Super League and I don't have to spell out what their backing means to the players and the club. We have provided our fans with some good days and they have witnessed some quality football but they want us to win trophies, we understand that."

We want to get rid of the monkey on our back which says we cannot win big games, but I don't lie awake in bed at night worrying about it.

"You must not take away from St Helens the fact that they deserved to win but we had chances in all the games and didn't take them. It is up to us to put that right this time."

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