Saints suffer Feldt injury worry in win over Cas

Betfred Super League

St Helens (16) 26

Tries: Stephens, Feldt 2, Bell, Bennison Goals: Feldt 3

Castleford Tigers (10) 24

Tries: Tate 3, Wood, Horne Goals: Hoy 2

St Helens' leading try-scorer Kyle Feldt suffered an injury after his 14-point haul guided his team to a much-needed win over Castleford Tigers.

Saints' win sets up a trip to play Leeds Rhinos at Headingley in a Super League play-off eliminator next Saturday - but their supporters will be hoping Feldt, who scored two tries and kicked three conversions, will be fit enough to play.

He made it 21 tries in 18 appearances this season after two of Will Tate's three tries had seen second-from-bottom Tigers take a surprise lead at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Saints were already sure of fifth place going into the game and in the ruthless Feldt's haul, young prop Noah Stephens' first Super League try and James Bell and Jon Bennison adding more in their farewell home appearances, they had enough.

Cas staged a great finish to their season as Sam Wood and Liam Horne crossed either side of Tate completing his hat-trick for three tries in the last six minutes.

Kyle Feldt scored two tries and kicked three goals but limped off injured

Saints coach Paul Wellens rested several front-line players going into the game but after three consecutive defeats he wanted a morale-boosting win, and only just got it.

Cas had lost six of their previous seven games and shipped 62 points at Wigan Warriors last week but they appeared to heed interim coach Chris Chester's words after he said they were playing to try to impress incoming coach Ryan Carr, who takes over next season.

It looked like they might be in for a torrid night when 20-year-old Stephens crashed over for an early try but Tate's two tries gave the travelling support something to finally cheer about.

Feldt levelled the score with a graceful leap and pirouette from Jonny Lomax's delicate chip and Bell, who will join Hull FC next season, injected fresh energy and added another try to ensure the home side went in ahead at half-time.

Lomax and Feldt combined again for the Australian to score his second try early in the second half and Bennison, another of Saints' host of departing players, marked possibly his last game for the club with another which seemed to seal the win.

Feldt then appeared to injure his back in a tackle and left the field in pain.

And a tiring Saints side almost threw away the lead as Wood went in at the corner, Tate gave new coach Carr a nudge with his third on the night and Horne led a breakaway charge to close the gap to two points.

In the end, only Hoy's conversion rate of two from five cost Cas a win their spirited performance merited.

Wellens optimistic over Feldt - reaction

St Helens coach Paul Wellens told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"With Lewis [Murphy] it's a re-occurrence of the injury, but I have to pay him huge credit because he tried his absolute best to get back to help out the team at the back end of the game.

"We always knew there was going to be an element of risk attached to it and it's hurt us.

"Kyle's [Feldt] is a different one. He's had a back spasm and they're the type of thing you can usually overcome and free up so we're optimistic there.

"It's important for him and every player how we look after ourselves over the next two to three days because we know what's coming next week and we have to be in the best condition physically and mentally to attack that."

Castleford interim head coach Chris Chester:

"I am glad that's my final game and I am pretty sure it will be my final game as head coach. I don't want to be a head coach ever again.

"I love doing what I do (director of rugby). That's my strength, picking players and watching them.

"We have been through a lot as a group. It has been a challenging year on and off the field.

"These guys have copped a fair bit and I have copped a fair bit. But we saw some fighting spirit which is a big positive to take into 2026."

St Helens: Sailor; Feldt, Bennison, Cross, Murphy; Welsby, Lomax; Stephens, Mbye, Paasi, Wright, Batchelor, Knowles

Interchanges: Bell, Burns, Cowen, Davies

Castleford Tigers: Cini; Tate, Wood, L. Senior, Wallis; Asi, Hoy; Singleton, Horne, Stimson, Mellor, Westerman

Interchanges: Griffin, Hall, Mustapha, Hill

Referee: Liam Rush