St Helens thrash Huddersfield to take third spot

Betfred Super League

St Helens (24) 52

Tries: Percival (2), Feldt (2), Sailor (2), Dagnall, Lomax, Knowles, Goals: Feldt 8

Huddersfield (4) 4

Tristan Sailor delivered a virtuoso performance, scoring two tries and setting up two more, as St Helens dismantled Huddersfield Giants to move up to third in the Super League table.

A superb individual showing from the 27-year-old Australian, who now has 15 Super League tries this season, added glitter to an eighth Saints win in nine outings.

It was a victory to serve notice that Paul Wellens’ improving side will prove a significant barrier in this sort of form whoever they face in the play-offs.

Saints are now just two points behind second-placed Wigan with five games left in the regular season and, in bright sunshine at the Totally Wicked Stadium, the result was never in doubt.

They were on the board early after a Sailor burst fed Daryl Clark, who in turn put in Mark Percival after nine minutes.

But it was a yellow card for Giants centre Taane Milne in the first half which opened the floodgates.

Milne was penalised for a shove and some verbals, and while he stewed on his indiscipline on the bench, Saints ran riot, extending their lead from 6-0 to 24-0 with tries from Kyle Feldt, Sailor – who picked off a high ball brilliantly – and Owen Dagnall.

Huddersfield were troubled by Sailor’s lightning pace all afternoon and, while Joe Greenwood burst through Jonny Lomax to get the Giants on the board seven minutes before the break, Saints returned after it in irrepressible form.

Sailor assisted Lomax in the opening minute of the second period, Morgan Knowles spun over the line from close range and Percival added a second on 55 minutes as Saints went 42-4 up.

After Feldt went over, Sailor saved the best until last, securing his second and Saints’ ninth try, with a blistering 60-metre charge, rounding full-back George Flanagan to go down under the posts.

Feldt kicked the extras to make it a near-flawless eight out of nine.

Further good news for Saints was a 30-minute appearance off the bench for Jack Welsby, as well as the return of long-term casualties Joe Batchelor and James Bell from injury.

Welsby suffered a serious knee injury at the beginning of June, undergoing surgery which medics expected to keep him out of action for 16 weeks, threatening his entire season and probably his participation in the Ashes against Australia this autumn.

St Helens head coach Paul Wellens told BBC Radio Merseyside:

“We scored a few nice tries but probably left a few points out there as well, not nailing a couple of breaks which in bigger games moving forward [we have to].

“We’ve got to nail that last pass because when you get to play-off time your are not going to get 15 opportunities a game, you might get two or three and that’s the reason we’ve got to improve.

“From two to eight [in the table] it is quite congested, so you are looking up, your looking back and to the sides. There are a lot of variables and it makes for a really exciting end to the season.

“I’m just delighted we have put ourselves back in a strong position.”

Huddersfield Giants head coach Luke Robinson told BBC Radio Leeds:

“They are one of the most physical packs and a very difficult proposition to go against. We didn’t win the physical battle, both with the ball and without it.”

On Taane Milne’s yellow card: “There were a lot of slowing down in the ruck and he was getting frustrated, but from a coach’s point of view he has hurt us more than the referee not giving the decision. I understood his frustration, but you can’t do it.

St Helens: Sailor, Feldt, Robertson, Percival, Dagnall, Lomax, Mbye, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Batchelor, Whitley, Knowles

Interchanges: Welsby, Bell, Paasi, Delaney

Huddersfield: Flanagan, Halsall, Bibby, Milne, Gagai, Rush, Frawley, Rogers, Woolford, Powell, Greenwood, Rushton, Cudjoe

Interchanges: Golding, English, King, Wilson

Sin bin: Milne (18 mins)