SAINTS captain Keiron Cunningham has issued a severe broadside against rugby league’s much-trumpeted McMagic event in Murrayfield.

The long serving hooker believes it is crazy to move a full round of fixtures to the Scottish capital, saying it is tough on the players and the cash-strapped supporters.

The weekend sees all 14 Super League teams compete over two days, with the Saints v. Wigan clash bringing down the curtain down on an otherwise uninspiring Saturday fixture list.

Cunningham said: “I am not a fan of the concept and the support shows the fans are not really behind it. If it was done by a normal weekly round at our usual grounds there would be more people watching than will be going to Edinburgh.

“It is expensive as well – and given what is going on in the economy at the minute to ask a full family to travel to Edinburgh to watch a game of rugby is a bit much. It is a lot of money.

“It is not something I agree with as a player but at the end of the day you have just got to play the cards you are dealt – and this is what we have been given.

“Last year at Cardiff was ridiculous. We were last on, but we could not get in the dressing rooms because the other teams were using them.

“The players were stood around in the tunnel for 30 minutes, just hanging about. We could not go down the tunnel and watch the other games because of the security.

“As a player you tend to get a mentality that you are travelling to Cardiff or Murrayfield to play a final so you are having a final build up for a league game. Your whole routine gets disrupted – it is the same for both sides I am not bleating on about for myself.

“Both teams go through the same thing and I suppose it is the reason why Wigan have never performed as well as they should have done the past two years. Everything is turned upside down and is different to what you are used to.”

“Cardiff seemed to be finding its feet a little bit, but to take it to Edinburgh is crazy.”

The clash is a repeat of the 2002 Challenge Cup Final at Murrayfield – a game in which Saints suffered a shock defeat and in which Cunningham controversially had a try disallowed.

Cunningham recalls the incident well. “Of course it was 100 per cent a try, and I can’t believe the referee didn’t give it. It was a two-metre classic of mine – but they said I was held up.

“I am not sure whether it would have made any difference to the score because I think it was just one of those games that Wigan were always going to win because we were just not ready or good enough on the day,” Cunningham said. That match, which was the last time Saints lost a Challenge Cup Final, was one that most St Heleners try to forget. Cunningham agrees: "It is one of those games that you put in a box, put a big padlock on and throw in the back of your mind. "It was big crowd at Murrayfield and it was loud, but all that was overshadowed by the seething pain of loss."

Cunningham, Sean Long and Paul Wellens are the only members of that side who will be playing in the red vee on Saturday.

Former team mate Martin Gleeson will be lining up in opposition for a side that is going well at the moment after a shaky start to the year.

The Saints skipper expects a much tougher encounter than last year’s one-sided affair when they butchered Wigan 57-16 at Cardiff.

“They have plenty of good kids – and young Shaun Ainscough seems to be playing out of his skin at the minute.

“They are hitting some good form and that is good to see a strong Wigan side in the competition.

“It will be different this year and the game at the JJB a couple of weeks ago was a close-fought battle which could have gone either way.

“I think Saturday’s game will be a tough old battle,” he said.

St Helens whistler Steve Ganson will referee the match.