Sneyd shines on debut as Warrington beat St Helens

Betfred Super League

St Helens (2) 12

Tries: Knowles, Sambou Goals: Percival 2

Warrington (8) 14

Tries: Williams, Ashton Goals: Sneyd 3

Warrington won for the first time in three Super League matches as they edged to victory at St Helens.

With new man Marc Sneyd playing a starring role, Wire's latest signing proved the matchwinner as he kicked all three of his attempts at goal, as well as forging what looks likely to be a productive half-back partnership with England team-mate George Williams.

It was a fifth straight Wire win over Saints, who they beat four times in 2024 - and the two sides are due to meet again twice more in the next five weeks.

First at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in the Challenge Cup on Sunday, 6 April, then the return game in the league on Thursday, 24 April.

Saints were ahead early from a Mark Percival penalty awarded perhaps harshly, but for a nonetheless silly push in the back by Zane Musgrove.

But Sneyd conjured up a transformation on the scoreboard, sparked by the creative role he played in Wire's opening try.

Running to the right across the park, he suddenly dinked a kick through with the outside of his left foot and, with Saints caught cold, Williams ran on to touch down his first Super League try of the season.

It was a piece of artistry that Saints assistant coach Lee Briers, once a Wire hero, would have appreciated,

Sneyd, who joined from Salford, added the extras, then a penalty to earn his side an 8-2 half-time lead. But, within eight minutes of the restart, it was all square again when Morgan Knowles bulldozed over to mark his 200th Super League appearance with a try and Percival landed the routine conversion.

Marc Sneyd played a key role in the opening try and landed three kicks on his Warrington debut

Saints then shot themselves in the foot when they gifted Wire a second try.

Jack Welsby's sloppy loose pass went badly astray, bounced kindly for Matty Ashton and the winger kept his cool to collect and run from deep inside his own half down the left flank and round in front of the posts. It was his sixth try against Saints in his five most recent meetings with them.

Saints were then back within two points when teenage winger Dayon Sambou marked his debut by diving spectacularly over in the left corner. But Percival shanked his conversion attempt, which fell short and wide.

And that proved to be the difference between the two sides as Wire's late territorial superiority helped the visitors over the line and continue the dominance for Sam Burgess's men over Saints in this fixture.

Warrington, who are sixth in the table, are back in action next Friday night with a home game against Leeds, while Saints - who dropped down to fourth when they could have gone top - travel to France the following day to meet Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.

Warrington winger Matty Ashton has crossed the whitewash in each of Wire's five straight wins over Saints

Five in a row for Warrington

14 April 2024: St Helens 8-31 Warrington (Challenge Cup QF)

19 July 2024: St Helens 10-24 Warrington (Super League)

7 Sept 2024: Warrington 16-2 St Helens (Super League)

28 Sept 2024: Warrington 23-22 St Helens (aet) (Super League play-off eliminator)

21 March 2025: St Helens 12-14 Warrington (Super League)

'Just two talented players having a bit of fun'

St Helens boss Paul Wellens told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"We missed out in a couple of key first-half chances that didn't quite work for us.

"But the best games are often defined by small moments and we just had too many not go our way.

"It's really encouraging that we're creating opportunities and that we're improving week on week.

"Performances are good. But winning games is important – and often dictates the mood of the town."

Warrington boss Sam Burgess told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"It was a real gritty performance from us. We knew it would be a tough game. Saints are a physical side but I'm proud of the effort the lads put in.

"We got a lot of knocks. A few out there on one leg. All our backs might be struggling for next week. We might have to do a bit of reshuffling.

"What we saw was everything we've seen Marc Sneyd for however long in this league. He complements our team and our style.

"We saw him and George connect in that first half. We'd not practised that. They're just two talented lads out there playing rugby league and having a bit of fun."

St Helens: Welsby; Bennison, Robertson, Percival, Sambou; Sailor, Lomax; Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles.

Interchanges: Mbye, Pa'asi, Wingfield, Delaney, Stephens.

Warrington: Dufty; Thewlis, Tai, King, Ashton; Williams, Sneyd; Vaughan, Walker, Musgrove, Currie, Fitzgibbon, Harrison.

Interchanges: Powell, Philbin, Holroyd, Wood, Lindop.

Referee: Chris Kendall.

Attendance: 14,068