A lot of people had their hearts set on a St Helens v Wigan clash to mark the return of the Challenge Cup final to Wembley.

The Catalans Dragons scuppered that dream by stunning Wigan in the semis and I am thrilled that they have reached the final.

They are such a sensational team and it makes for such a different story.

The Dragons didn't even exist a few years ago so for them to make the final is real progress for the sport.

And in Stacey Jones, they have a truly magical match-winner.

He sees everything so quickly and he is a real thinking person's rugby league player.

He orchestrated their win over Wigan and, as a team, they were so clever in the way they tore the Warriors apart.

Saints coach Daniel Anderson will not let his side go into the final thinking that this is the easy one.

In fact I think they might be more worried about facing Catalans than had they been playing Wigan.

Saints know Wigan, it's like fighting your mate, but in Catalans they will be fighting an enemy they don't really know.

Although they've played them in the Super League they play so differently one game to the next that no one can really know what they are going to do.

Anderson has given the captaincy to Keiron Cunningham ahead of Sean Long.

He deserves it and it's a real nod to all the years of service he has given to the club.

It's like they have said, 'this is your moment' and he will be immensely proud to have been given the honour.

Clare Balding presents BBC TV's coverage of the Challenge Cup final on Saturday at 1430 BST (kick-off 1500).

(Clare Balding was talking to Paul Birch.)

Catalans Dragons v St Helens, 1430-1700, BBC ONE and BBC Sport website. Followed by a post-match forum from 1700-1730 on BBCi and the BBC Sport website.

Football Focus (1210 BST, BBC ONE/online); Sunderland v Liverpool commentary (1245, Radio 5live/online); Score (1430, BBCi/online); Premier League commentary (1500, Radio 5live/online); SPL: Commentary from every game (1500, BBC Radio Scotland/online); Final Score (1700, BBC ONE); Everton v Blackburn commentary (1715, Radio 5live/online); Match of the Day (2230, BBC ONE/online).

Match of the Day repeat (0740, BBC ONE/online); Middlesbrough v Newcastle commentary (1320, 5live sports extra/online); SPL: St Mirren v Celtic commentary (1400, BBC Radio Scotland/online); Man Utd v Tottenham commentary (1600, Radio 5live/online); Match of the Day 2 (2230, BBC TWO/online).

1100-1200, BBC ONE - live; 1200-1300, BBC TWO - live; 1300-1430, BBC ONE - live; 2350-0020, BBC ONE - highlights; 0150-0435, BBC ONE - live. Plus 0600-1100 and 1700-0200, BBCi.

1100-1230, BBC ONE - live; 1230-1445, BBC TWO - live; 0130-0200, BBC TWO - highlights; 0200-0330, BBC TWO - live. Plus - 0600-1100 and 1700-0200 on BBCi.

Formula One: Turkey Grand Prix (0855-1000 and 1155-1300, Radio 5live Sports Extra/online); Hockey: European Championships (1400-1830, BBCi/online); Rugby union: Scotland v South Africa (1645-1900, BBC TWO, Radio 5live Sports Extra/online).

Hockey: European Championships (1300-1730, BBCi/online); Rugby union: Wales v France (1430-1645, BBC ONE, Radio 5live Sports Extra/online; followed by post-match forum (1645-1730, BBCi/online); Rugby league: Super League Show (1645-1730, BBC North/online).