MATCH REPORT | Castleford Tigers 12-42 St Helens
St Helens scored eight tries at The Mend-A-Hose Jungle to maintain their 100% start to the season against Castleford.
MATCH DETAILS
St Helens were the better side from the off and their first try came within four minutes. James Roby’s movement from dummy half created a gap for Lachlan Coote to open the scoring.
They went further ahead after Grant Millington gave a silly penalty away on the last tackle for a high shot. Coote converted to take the score to 8-0.
There was then a replica try from last week’s game against Huddersfield with a sweeping move from the scrum, resulting in Regan Grace scoring his sixth try of the season.
St Helens were completely dominant and 12-0 flattered Cas. Saints got what they deserved five minutes before half time when Dominique Peyroux went over from short range to make it 18-0.
It only took two minutes after the break for Saints to extend their lead as Zeb Taia strolled through a gap in the Tigers defence from a Theo Fages pass.
It was all too easy for Saints and on the 46th minute, Theo Fages fed Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook to score from close range.
They are becoming specialists at scoring tries from scrums and this time, Coote kept the ball alive with an offload for Mark Percival to join in on the scoring.
Castleford got their first try after Michael Shenton intercepted a Fages pass. The chasing Grace slipped and Shenton touched down under the posts. Most of the ground expected referee James Child to go to the screen but the try was given.
Peyroux scored his second of the game from dummy half to make it 36-6.
The Saints fans really started to enjoy themselves with every tackle from their side cheekily being cheered. Castleford surrendered the ball in the opposition 20 which Saints capitalised on. Percival found a gap from a vertical Tommy Makinson run and passed to a supporting Jonny Lomax for a deserved try.
Jake Trueman scored a consolation with a weaving run to make the final score 42-12
FOUR POINTERS
Coooooooote
The Australian was once again outstanding. This may be controversial but Coote is better for the St Helens team as a whole than Ben Barba. His positioning in defence is impeccable, he is setting tries up for fun and he does not go missing during games. He’s becoming a fan favourite with the St Helens faithful.
Defence
Saints are slick in attack but their defence is the main reason they sit at the top of the table. They have conceded just four tries in second halves this season, two coming in this game. Their scrambling defence is awesome and I’m not sure when forwards are going to learn, you cannot run through Theo Fages.
Cas not quite there
Cas need a big improvement if they are going to challenge Warrington and Saints. Saints looked better in every department and Cas didn’t help themselves. Their handling needs to be much better.
Saints, Warrington and then the rest
On evidence so far, it looks like these two are a class above the rest. They face off in three weeks time at the Totally Wicked Stadium which is likely to be a classic.
THE RESULT
Castleford Tigers 12
Tries: Shenton, Trueman
Goals: Trueman 2
Drop Goals: N/A
St Helens 42
Tries: Coote, Peyroux (2), Grace, Taia, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Percival, Lomax
Goals: Coote (5)
Drop Goals: N/A
SQUADS
Castleford: Mata’utia, Minikin, Foster, Shenton, Eden, Trueman, Rankin, Watts, McShane, Millington, Holmes, Moors, Massey.
Interchanges: Clare, Milner, Sene-Lefao, Cook.
St Helens: Coote, Makinson. Naiqama, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Fages, Walmsley, Roby, Thompson, Taia, Peyroux, Knowles.
Interchanges: Paulo, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Lees, Ashworth.
