Old allegiances will be put to one side when Nick Scruton watches tomorrow’s Challenge Cup final.

Born in Morley and raised a Leeds fan before graduating through the Rhinos’ youth system, the prop forward would be excused for wanting to see his former team-mates prevail against Warr-ington at Wembley.

Scruton only swapped Headingley for Odsal at the start of last season but already the ‘Bradford’ has started to come out in him.

“I don’t know if I’ll be supporting them,” he said. “Of course I want my mates to do well but then I’m annoyed when they do win.

“I suppose that’s the Bradford coming out in me now, I don’t want Leeds to do well anymore!

“It’s a Catch-22, so I suppose I just want to see a good final now. I’ve got friends playing for both teams, so I’m not that fussed.”

The overwhelming feeling will be one of jealousy.

Having suffered the narrowest defeats to holders Warrington in the quarter-finals, Scruton can’t help wonder what might have been.

Despite enjoying his best season yet on a personal level – his form earning well-deserved England recognition – the 25-year-old is frustrated at missing out on the play-offs for a second consecutive season.

A Grand Final winner with Leeds in 2008, he is desperate to taste similar success with Bradford.

He said: “You’re always jealous when you watch a final because you want to be there but all my mates are playing in it, so it’s even worse.

“If I’m honest now I just want to see a good final.

“After watching that semi-final and being so close in the quarters, I feel we could easily have been there.

“The way Warrington blew Catalans away just makes you think. We were a whisker away from getting to the semis ourselves.

“Hopefully that will kick everybody on for next year. Wembley’s such a big occasion and I want to play in one badly.”