TOP St Helens prop Nick Fozzard is bracing himself for a massive battle against former club Huddersfield when the two sides lock horns in the fourth round of the Powergen Challenge Cup on Sunday, April 3.

The 27-year-old, pictured right, was in the Saints side that knocked the Giants out at the semi-final stage last year.

And he was also a main player as his side beat Wigan to lift the Challenge Cup trophy at the Millennium Stadium.

Fozzard admits that St Helens are desperate to hold on to the trophy and has warned the Giants that they will not give up their Cup crown without a fight.

"We're desperate to keep hold of the Challenge Cup," declared Fozzard, who still lives in Huddersfield.

"Winning the Cup at Cardiff last season was a fantastic occasion and we'd all love to go back to defend it.

"But, first of all, we now know we're going to have to beat the Giants to do that, and it won't be easy.

"They gave us a real scare at our place the other week, and it took a late try for us to seal it.

"That's an early warning to us that we can't afford to take them for granted.

"We know that only our best will be good enough."

Fozzard's Saints have been quoted by bookmakers William Hill as 5-2 second favourites to retain their trophy.

The red-hot favoruites to lift the Cup in Cardiff on August 27 are world club champions Leeds Rhinos who are 11-8.

They open their Cup campaign at home to Warrington, with the Headingley tie played on the Saturday and shown live on BBC Grandstand, with Wakefield-Hull shown on Sunday Grandstand 24 hours later.

Full draw: Featherstone v Bradford, Doncaster v Workington, Hunslet v London Broncos, Union Treiziste Catalane v Hull KR, Wigan v Whitehaven, Pia v Keighley, Halifax v Castleford, Huddersfield v St Helens, Leeds v Warrington, Batley v Leigh, Oldham v York, Widnes v Swinton, Barrow v Sheffield Eagles, Rochdale v Salford, Toulouse v Wath Brow Hornets, Wakefield v Hull.

* Flyers tickets to the Giants game at Warrington on Sunday are on sale at Tony Iredale Travel. They are priced at £11 return, with coaches leaving from the St Patrick's Centre at 12.45pm.