Owen Dagnall’s early strive proved sufficient to ship St Helens as much as the unlikely
heights of third within the Betfred Tremendous League desk with a gruelling 6-0 win over
Leeds at AMT Headingley.
After an early season sprinkled with acrimony and questions over the way forward for head coach Paul Wellens, Saints are coming good when it issues and Dagnall’s effort sealed a fifth straight win since their defeat at Hull KR on the finish of Might.
It was an particularly gutsy win for Saints given the primary half losses of each Daryl Clark and Jake Burns with head accidents, activating 18th man Jon Bennison and requiring a shocking effort from Matty Lees who performed the entire sport within the Saints entrance row.
For Rhinos, it was an all too acquainted story as they misplaced for the seventh straight time at residence to Saints in Tremendous League, and however for a disallowed effort from James McDonnell, they seldom seemed threatening within the remaining third.
Saints had already misplaced Clark, who got here off worst in a confrontation with Mikolaj Oledzki, when Dagnall seized on a scrumptious delayed go from Tristan Sailor to twist by two weak Leeds tackles within the fifteenth minute.
Lomax missed the conversion however added two 10 minutes later after Jake Connor was penalised for catching Harry Robertson excessive, they usually have been to show the ultimate factors on a obviously scorching night at Headingley.
It was not the most effective of nights for Connor in an in any other case stellar marketing campaign, and two consecutive free passes, aimed toward Alfie Edgell however crusing into contact, sapped Leeds’ means to get on the scoreboard earlier than the half-time hooter.
In a uncommon second-half opening, McDonnell crossed on the fitting just for his attempt to be dominated out for a push by Harry Newman within the build-up.
In any other case Leeds merely did not crack a resolute Saints rearguard, with Lees and teenager Harry Robertson excellent.
Leeds have been livid when referee Jack Smith took no motion for an obvious shoulder-charge by Lees on Edgell, and tempers frayed once more simply previous the hour mark when Agnatius Paasi was sin-binned for going excessive on Edgell.
Wigan Warriors 30-10 Huddersfield Giants
Christian Wade’s first Tremendous League factors and a shocking strive completed by Jake Wardle noticed Wigan rally from a 10-0 half-time deficit to beat Huddersfield 30-10.
On an evening when the Warriors honoured Sir Billy Boston following the knighthood bestowed within the King’s birthday honours, Huddersfield appeared decided to spoil the social gathering as first-half tries from Tui Lolohea and Jacob Gagai put them in management, with Wigan making expensive errors.
But it surely all modified within the second half as union convert Wade – making his long-awaited debut after the previous England winger and NFL operating again signed in April – ran in his first Wigan strive earlier than a exceptional section of play ended with Harry Smith’s kick discovering Wardle to attain within the nook.
Wardle then added a second earlier than Tyler Dupree and Junior Nsemba wrapped up what felt like a significant win for second-placed Wigan, who got here into their first residence sport in seven, having misplaced two of their earlier three. Adam Keighran transformed all 5 Wigan tries.
The hosts have been in a celebratory temper as Boston, who scored 478 tries in 488 appearances for the membership, was feted in a pre-match ceremony, however Huddersfield shortly ruined the temper as Lolohea leapt excessive to beat Jai Discipline to Matt Frawley’s hanging kick simply six minutes in.
The 34-year-old Wade, thrust into motion following accidents to Liam Marshall and Abbas Miski, confirmed some spectacular footwork when given likelihood to run however was additionally responsible of a fluffed catch which gifted the guests the sphere place wanted for Gagai to run within the second strive within the nineteenth minute.
Having struggled to get going, Wigan then wasted what seemed a sure strive within the twenty eighth minute. Discipline lastly broke by the Huddersfield line with a superb dummy however his go to Liam Farrell was ahead.
Frustration elevated additional earlier than half-time when Smith’s strive was dominated out with Patrick Mago maybe harshly deemed to have obstructed George King.
The hosts lastly obtained a break 10 minutes into the second half when George Flanagan dropped a excessive kick from Smith, and Wigan shifted it left from the scrum for Wade to redeem his earlier error with a debut strive.
It out of the blue felt like a distinct sport and simply a few minutes later, Wigan accomplished some 11 passes earlier than Smith’s cross-field kick discovered Wardle to dive over within the nook.
Wardle obtained his second of the night time within the sixty fifth minute however this was a a lot easier affair as he took a brief go from Discipline to bowl his manner over the road, with additional tries from Dupree and Nsemba making the scoreline seem rather more comfy than it may need been.
Tremendous League Spherical 18 Outcomes and Fixtures (all dwell on Sky Sports activities)
Thursday July 10
Friday July 11
- Leeds Rhinos 0-6 St Helens
- Wigan Warriors 30-10 Huddersfield Giants
Saturday July 12
- 3pm: Leigh Leopards vs Hull KR
- 6pm: Catalans Dragons vs Warrington Wolves
Sunday July 13
- 3pm: Salford Crimson Devils vs Castleford Tigers
Watch each Tremendous League sport this season dwell on Sky Sports activities – together with two matches in every spherical solely dwell, with the remaining 4 matches every week proven on Sky Sports+ through the crimson button.