If Sheffield Eagles were a major American sporting franchise, you suspect there would have been a film of their story by now. Alas, the Hollywood scriptwriters have not got their teeth into rugby league yet, but that does not make Sheffield’s journey over the past 25 years any less remarkable.
This week, the 1998 squad reunited to mark the 25th anniversary of their Challenge Cup final victory against Wigan, the greatest upset in the sport’s history. Sheffield, 14-1 outsiders, stunned one of the game’s most famous clubs to win the cup and, barely a decade after forming, it felt like it was the start of a bright future for rugby league in South Yorkshire.
