Super League: Castleford Tigers 30-10 St Helens - Cas too good for Saints youngsters
- Published
Derrell Olpherts bagged two of Castleford's six tries against the reigning champions
Betfred Super League |
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Castleford (14) 30 |
Tries: Olpherts 2, Qareqare, Trueman, Westerman, Fonua Goals: McShane 3 |
St Helens (0) 10 |
Tries: Sambou, Bell Goals: Martyn |
Leaders St Helens slipped to their second defeat of the season as a much changed young team of seven debutants shipped six tries at Castleford.
Cas led 14-0 at the break after teenage winger Jason Qareqare's first-minute touchline score was followed by tries for Derrell Olpherts and Jake Trueman.
Olpherts, Joe Westerman and Mahe Fonua added three more after the break.
But the Saints stand-ins showed a lot of heart and were cheered by quickfire tries for Jumah Sambou and James Bell.
This was only Cas's 10th win in 58 Super League meetings between the two sides - but it was their second in a row, having also beaten a full-strength Saints at the TWS Stadium last August when Daryl Powell was still in charge.
It looked on the cards from the moment that hot Fijian prospect Qareqare galloped down the left touchline to score a brilliant try after only 25 seconds - and bring back memories of the early try he scored on his Cas debut against Hull last June, also with his first touch.
After Gareth O'Brien again failed to add the extras to Olpherts' first try, Paul McShane successfully took over kicking duties when the third try came five minutes from half-time, created for Trueman by centre Jake Mamo's searing break.
Olpherts scored again on 49 minutes but McShane this time failed from the tee - and Saints suddenly threatened to make a game of it.
Sambou, a Woolston Golds amateur product, marked his debut with a fine finish in the corner before former Toulouse and Leigh forward Bell added a quick second and Shay Martin's conversion made it 18-10.
But Cas closed the door when McShane set up a match-clinching 69th-minute try for Westerman before Fonua wrapped it up eight minutes from time.
Following the physical excesses of the Easter weekend, both teams are back in action after a proper week's break next Friday night when Saints entertain Salford, while Cas must cross the Channel to face Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.
Castleford coach Lee Radford:
"If we put 50 points on them it was expected but if it was a close game or we got beat, it's disgusting.
"I was petrified when they scored their last try because they looked fresh-legged and fresh-faced and were playing with energy.
"To respond like we did was pleasing. At that point it was all about territory. Dad's Army' did a good job of killing the game off at the end.
"Qareqare's try was an unbelievable effort. As a winger you are judged on your try-scoring ratio but he was also fantastic out of back field. He has just signed a new deal and I want to see him be the best he can be over the next couple of seasons."
St Helens coach Kristian Woolf:
"At 18-10, if we then get the next set right, we could have put some real pressure on Cas. But making the error on play two and giving them the chance to get over, it gave them their energy back.
"I was never going to regret that decision, no matter what. It was 100 per cent right. The young blokes showed they are Saints players. That was the most important thing. It is a moment they will remember the rest of their lives.
"They put their bodies on the line, they scrambled well and worked really hard to save tries.
"When we gave ourselves a good opportunity we showed we were really threatening. We probably just let ourselves down with basic errors."
Castleford: Clare; Olpherts, Mamo, Fonua, Qareqare; Trueman, O'Brien; Griffin, McShane, Watts, Lawler, Edwards, Westerman.
Interchanges: Milner, Massey, Smith, Martin.
St Helens: Bennison; Sambou, Simm, Hill, Martyn; Davies, Moss; Amor, Lussick, Norman, Royle, Bell, Wingfield.
Interchanges: Baxter, Pemberton, Delaney, Buckley.
Referee: Jack Smith.