Proud boss Paul Wellens reckons St Helens’ win over Castleford was every bit as good as their World Club Challenge success.
Just eight days after dumping NRL premiers Penrith in Sydney, the relentless Super League champions started their latest title defence off with a bang. Missing five of their heroes from Down Under, having endured a nightmare 53 hour trip back from Oz and even getting caught in traffic on the way to Wheldon Road, none of it bothered them.
Veteran prop Alex Walmsley blasted over for two tries after England colleague Jack Welsby got them up and running and there was also a debut effort for ex-Barrow winger Tee Ritson.
With James Roby rested, sublime Jonny Lomax stood in as captain and ran the show from stand-off. Wellens admitted: “I had to wrestle with how to approach the situation as it’s an unknown for everyone travelling back from Australia and with sore bodies.
“But I was very keen for us to put down a marker and approach 2023 with a real strong mindset. Once I sat down with the players, they were in the same thought process. And this group tends to get the job done in difficult circumstances.
“I know there’s a lot of people in the game who won't see this victory in the same light as last week’s against Penrith. But, for me, as a coach of this club, it’s every bit as impressive to be able to deal with what we have done and put in a performance like that. It speaks volumes for this playing group.”
Saints led 6-0 at half-time but don’t ask Castleford how. Aussie winger Jake Mamo was put clear FOUR times in the opening 23 minutes alone. But, remarkably, every time the bumbling hosts managed to bomb the chance.
When Lomax set up Ritson in the 46th minute, Mark Percival converted for a 12-0 lead. Tigers did hit back when Welsby caught Jack Broadbent high to concede a penalty try and he was perhaps lucky to stay on the field. But then Walmsley stormed over twice to put the game to bed.
Bureta Faraimo did intercept Lomax’s pass to race in from 80m. But even then the video referee spotted the embarrassed Cas winger - under no pressure - brushed the in-goal whitewash so it got ruled out.
And Radford - who dropped Joe Westerman, Nathan Massey, Mahe Fonua and Suaia Matagi after their opening day shambles at Hull - couldn’t believe they failed to score in that first half. He bemoaned: “We created enough to win two games of rugby. It was incredible to watch. We got into a bit of space and almost forgot what to do with it. They got giddy and excited. Saints showed how to land sucker punches.”
