Category Sports News

Betfred Super League

St Helens (24) 40

Tries: Whitby (3), Walmsley, Cross, Sailor, Murphy Goals: Whitby (6)

Teenager George Whitby’s 24-point haul led a sparkling St Helens to a one-sided win over play-off rivals Catalans Dragons.

The stand-off, who turns 19 on Saturday, scored a hat-trick of tries and kicked six conversions from seven attempts as Saints eased the pressure on coach Paul Wellens with a display that had echoes of their 2022 Grand Final-winning campaign.

Alex Walmsley, Deon Cross, Tristan Sailor and Lewis Murphy also crossed the line to secure only the Red V’s third win in the past eight Super League games.

The two opposing coaches badly needed a win at the Totally Wicked Stadium after inauspicious starts to a campaign in which both clubs had an eye on challenging for a top two spot, but which has brought real underachievement so far.

The Dragons have had better form recently, going into the game with five wins from their previous seven, but it was Saints who got off to a flying start as Mark Percival’s pass and Sailor’s acceleration split the defence for Whitby to go over within two minutes.

Six minutes later Saints hammered away at the line again and prop Walmsley powered over to leave Catalans reeling.

The French outfit cleared their heads and applied pressure but a series of basic errors, including an awful five errors at the play-the-ball, and some determined Saints defence, kept them out.

Saints finished the half in style as former Salford Red Devils centre Cross marked his home debut with a try and the last move of the first period saw Jack Welsby’s delicious reverse pass send Percival through to set up Whitby for another.

With a comfortable lead and Catalans looking increasingly ragged, the home side could afford to entertain, and another sublime piece of work from Percival, slipping the ball out of the back of his hand, sent Sailor over in the corner.

St Helens: Welsby, Sailor, Cross, Percival, Murphy, Whitby, Lomax, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, C. Sironen, Whitley, Knowles

Interchanges: Mbye, Paasi, Wingfield, Delaney

Catalans: Aispuro-Bichet, Yaha, Laguerre, Smith, Cotric, Keary, Fages, Satae, Da Costa, Navarette, Seguier, B. Sironen, Partington

Interchanges: Romano, Pangai Jr, Sims, Dezaria

Striker Steven Fletcher has announced “with a heavy heart” he is leaving Wrexham “and not by choice”.

The 38-year-old former Scotland international’s departure comes as the Hollywood-owned side prepare for life in the Championship after successive promotions.

Fletcher, who scored eight goals as Wrexham won promotion from League One, had been hoping to earn a new deal at the north Wales club.

He posted on social media: “I unfortunately have to announce my departure from what I can only describe as the most magical club I have ever played at!

Fletcher had been considering retiring when Wrexham’s approach prompted his arrival at the Stok Cae Ras on a free in September 2023.

A former Premier League frontman for Burnley, Wolves and Sunderland, Fletcher proved his worth as Wrexham won promotion from League Two, earning a one-year contract-extension last summer.

Fletcher admitted in March he had expected to have returned to retirement, adding that he didn’t see “why he would want to stop” given his ongoing impact.

He played a super-sub role as Wrexham returned to the second-tier for the first time in 42 years, with all bar two of his 43 appearances coming off the bench as he again scored eight league goals.

In his exit announcement, Fletcher added: “I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to come here and fall back in love with the game!

“To have had the experiences and the opportunities that this club has given me has been just incredible. And this group of lads are the best that I have ever shared a changing room with.

“It’s not just a team or a changing room. This group of boys , fans and staff have been my family for the past two years.

“You welcomed me with open arms and open hearts and made me feel like I had a purpose again.”

Fletcher’s announcement came after goalkeeper Mark Howard – who had figured in all three of Wrexham’s successive promotions – also revealed he would not be staying beyond the end of his current deal.

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney said on social media that such exits were “the worst part”, adding: “they are not just players on the team. They are my friends and people I admire”.

In response Wrexham director Humphrey Ker posted he was “slightly in awe” of Fletcher “when he arrived at Wrexham, on account of his extraordinary career at the very top of the game”.

Former World Rugby sevens player of the year Terry Kennedy says the decision to cut the Ireland men’s sevens team at the end of the 2024-25 season is “nothing short of a disgrace”.

On Wednesday, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) confirmed the cessation of the men’s sevens programme as “part of a broader strategic effort to ensure long-term financial sustainability”.

In November, the IRFU’s financial results showed an 18m euro (£15.1m) deficit for the 2023-24 season.

Kennedy, who competed in the Tokyo and Paris Olympics men’s sevens, was critical of the IRFU’s decision.

“Absolutely shocking from the IRFU. The way they’ve handled the whole situation is nothing sort of a disgrace,” he said in a statement on social media.

Kennedy opted to take a break from sevens after Ireland’s quarter-final exit against Fiji at Paris 2024.

He missed what proved to be the men’s sevens’ last tournament in Los Angeles earlier this month, when they finished 11th and suffered relegation in the World SVNS Series.

“The financial/cost-cutting excuse is complete smoke and mirrors, masquerading the fact that every Rugby World Cup year unions run at a major loss due to a lack of November match revenue,” continued the statement from the wing, who won the World Rugby award in 2022.

“Between funding from World Rugby for being on the World Series, Sport Ireland funding from Olympic success and sponsorship funding, no other programme outside the men’s 15s brings in anywhere near the revenue.”

Kennedy was also critical of the money being spent by the likes of Leinster on short-term contracts in the men’s 15-a-side game.

Leinster brought in New Zealand international Jordie Barrett this season and are set to add international team-mate Rieko Ioane after the November internationals.

“No mention of the millions paid to bring foreign players over on short-term contracts and the budget to pay for committee members travelling to Six Nations games and tours with lunches and dinners – far more than the whole 7s budget,” Kennedy added.

Tommy Paul says he has been “grinding” to reclaim his repossessed truck after reaching the semi-finals of the Italian Open.

The American 11th seed beat Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 to secure a place in the last four in Rome for the second consecutive year.

The 27-year-old prevailed despite telling reporters he had endured a “stressful week” off the court.

“On court everything has been going pretty well,” said Paul. “Off court, a little bit of a stressful week.

“I got my truck repossessed. I missed a couple of payments and they took my truck from my house this week. I’ve been grinding to get my truck back. If you know me, that’s my baby.

“I’m excited to get it back. I had to win a couple of matches so I could pay that off.”

Paul said he had to pay $1,000 (£752) to secure the vehicle’s return.

The former Australian Open semi-finalist is already guaranteed prize money of about £245,000 this fortnight.

Italian Sinner produced his best performance since returning from a three-month doping ban to thrash Casper Ruud 6-0 6-1.

The 23-year-old combined power with several deft touches to wrap up victory in one hour and three minutes.

Ruud arrived in Rome in fine form following his victory at the Madrid Open, but was unable to contend with the home favourite in the opening set.

The Norwegian world number seven fared slightly better in the second and was warmly applauded by the crowd after holding serve in the third game to end the onslaught.

But Sinner quickly regained his dominance and claimed the next four games to seal a 25th consecutive victory – a streak that was interrupted by the three-month suspension he agreed with the World Anti Doping Agency (Wada).

“I was feeling great on court today,” Sinner, who was playing in his fourth match since returning from suspension, told Sky Sports.

“My goal was to try to understand where my level is at this tournament and it has raised day by day.

“These are positive signs for me. Everything can change in one day but everything worked well for me. I was serving well and moved great on the court.”