St Helens all but secured the League Leaders’ Shield with a comfortable win against Wakefield Trinity at the Totally Wicked Stadium. The win could set Saints on their way to a remarkable domestic treble, with Trinity now almost certainly heading for a tense end-of-season relegation battle. Here’s how the action unfolded.
MATCH DETAILS
St Helens cruised to a 20-point win against Wakefield, despite not being at their most fluent, to move further clear at the top of the Super League standings whilst condeming Wakefield to a fourth consecutive defeat in the league.
The boot of Danny Richardson edged St Helens into the lead only for a Danny Brough penalty to level the scores up at two-apiece in a cagey opening quarter.
Richardson then scored the game’s first try after he cut through the Wakefield defence, before Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook grounded Theo Fages’ grubber kick to give the home side some breathing space.
A superb period of pressure from the hosts continued when Tommy Makinson went over in the corner to send Saints into an 18-point lead at the interval, which was also their third consecutive half of rugby without conceding a try.
Both sides struggled to find any fluidity in their play in the second half before Kevin Naiqama crashed over after running a superb line for the home side’s only try in the second period.
Kelepi Tanginoa crossed for a late consolation try for the visitors, who lost for the ninth time in their last 10 Super League matches and know wins for Hull KR and London Broncos this weekend will see them above the foot of the table on points difference alone.
However, it was another comfortable success for St Helens who weren’t at their fluid best but move 12 points clear at the top of the Super League standings with nearest challenges Warrington in action against Catalans on Saturday.
Should the Wolves fail to take the two points in Perpignan, the Saints will have retained the League Leaders’ Shield, remaining the only side in Super League to achieve this feat, and claim the first piece of silverware on offer in 2019.
Fresh from booking their place in the Challenge Cup final last weekend, and already missing Lachlan Coote and Regan Grace through injury, Saints were dealt a blow before kick-off when Jonny Lomax was forced to pull out of the squad to attend the birth of his first child, with youngster Jack Welsby coming in at full-back.
Saints didn’t require their star turns however, when a high shot from Kelepi Tanginoa on Fages allowed Richardson to kick Saints into an early two-point lead before the league leaders were then penalised for holding down which allowed Brough to level up the scores with a penalty of his own.
Saints finally scored the game’s opening try, just before the half-hour mark, when James Roby made a half break before passing to Richardson who skipped and dummied his way past several Wakefield defenders to go over for a simple score.
Justin Holbrook’s men turned the screw after that try, with McCarthy-Scarsbrook grounding the ball after Wakefield failed to deal with Fages’ clever grubber kick.
Makinson then scored the home side’s third try in the space of eight minutes after some excellent play between Joseph Paulo and Welsby set-up the winger who jinxed his way over the whitewash in the corner.
It took until the 71st minute for the game’s next try when Naiqama powered over the try-line after some crisp passing between Fages and Welsby. Richardson remained perfect from the kicking tee, kicking six goals from a possible six.
Trinity then scored a consolation try with two minutes left to play when Tanginoa crossed for his first try in Wakefield colours, but it was too little too late for Trinity, who find themselves firmly in a relegation battle with just five rounds of fixtures left to play.
FOUR POINTERS
The Treble Moves One Step Closer
Saints returned to winning ways in Super League to all but secure this year’s League Leaders’ Shield which coach Justin Holbrook will hope can be the catalyst for his side to complete a famous domestic treble. Should Warrington Wolves fail to defeat Catalans Dragons in Perpignan, Saints will have retained the Shield, becoming the first side to achieve this feat since the Merseyside club themselves won consecutive League Leaders’ Shield’s from 2005 to 2008. However, defeating the Wolves in the Challenge Cup final and winning the Grand Final at Old Trafford won’t be easy, having failed to win either competition since 2014.
James Roby – 400 Not Out
Effervescent hooker Roby made his 400th Super League appearance against Wakefield, with all 400 of his appearances coming for the Saints. Since making his debut against Widnes Vikings in 2004, the 33-year-old has been one of English rugby league’s most consistent performers having scored over a century of tries and still looking at his very best. He’s won everything the game has to offer at domestic level as well as winning the Man of Steel Award in 2007 and picking up the Harry Sunderland Trophy in their 2014 Grand Final success. His experience for their remaining fixtures could prove crucial in determining how much silverware Saints win in 2019.
Wakefield in Danger
Whilst a win against St Helens always seemed unlikely, the manner of the defeat is what might worry Wakefield coach Chris Chester the most. His side lacked any real attacking intent despite Saints being far from their flowing best, only managing a try in the dying moments of the game. They held their own in the opening quarter but once again crumbled after conceding the game’s first try, going on to concede two more tries in the next eight minutes. This is their ninth defeat in 10 Super League matches and still have play-off chasing Hull FC, Warrington and Wigan Warriors in their five remaining league fixtures.
The Relegation Battle Intensifies
As many as five teams still face the threat of relegation from Super League with just five rounds of fixtures left to play. Wakefield’s freefall from play-off contenders to relegation candidates is perhaps the most alarming slide of any of the teams towards the bottom of the table and will be a real cause for concern for their supporters, with the teams around them all picking up crucial victories in recent weeks. Trinity must now focus on their games away to Hull KR and at home to Leeds Rhinos, their final fixture of the season, which will likely determine whether the club will remain in Super League next season.
THE RESULT
St Helens 26
Tries: Richardson, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Makinson, Naiqama
Goals: Richardson 5
Drop Goals: n/a
Wakefield Trinity 6
Tries: Tanginoa
Goals:ย Brough
Drop Goals: n/a
SQUADS
St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Swift, Fages, Richardson, Lees, Roby, Thompson, Taia, Peyroux, McCarthy-Scarsbrook
Interchanges:ย Paulo, Amor, Ashworth, Bentley
Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Jones-Bishop, Lyne, Arundel, Tupou, Hampshire, Brough, Kopczak, Randell, England, Kirmond, Tanginoa, Annakin
Interchanges:ย Wood, Fifita, King, Hirst
