St Helens R.F.C. vs Wakefield Trinity
Venue: Totally Wicked Stadium
Kick-off: Friday 17th April, 18:00 BST
Head-to-Head
Last Five Results: St Helens 48-6 Wakefield (15/10/20), Wakefield 16-20 St Helens (09/10/20), St Helens 26-6 Wakefield (02/08/19), St Helens 48-10 Wakefield (01/06/19), Wakefield 18-24 St Helens (10/02/19).
Team Lists
Preview
St Helens welcome Wakefield Trinity to the Totally Wicked Stadium for their Round 3 Super League clash.
Saints make three changes to their squad that beat Leeds in the Challenge Cup. Dan Norman, Tom Nisbet and Aaron Smith come into the squad, with Matty Lees and Sione Mata’utia making way as notable omissions.
Wakefield will be without their star winger Tom Johnstone, who misses the fixture through concussion protocol, while they will also be without Max Jowitt, Bill Tupou and Matty Ashurst. The visitors are boosted, however, by the return of Kyle Wood and Eddie Battye.
Prediction
Wakefield look a different side without Tom Johnstone on the pitch, understandingly missing his exceptional finishing skill and speed that makes him dangerous from anywhere on the pitch. The visitors have also been struggling to get on the front foot and additionally missing Kelepi Tanginoa will only add to the problem when coming up against Saints’ top-class pack.
That said, the inclusion of Eddie Battye and his great offloading game may cause some issues for the Saints’ pack, though they have quality in every position to counter it. St Helens come into this off the back of an underwhelming win in the Challenge Cup against a Leeds side that was reduced to 12-men at half time. They should improve off the back of it given the shock Leeds gave them in the context of their advantageous situation, and will no doubt not be taking this fixture lightly.
If Saints are able to play to form, then they should notch a comfortable margin against an injury struck and struggling Wakefield side, although they will not lay down easily.
