Saints crush Barrow to win shield as Leeds beat Wigan

Jodie Cunningham lifts the League Leaders Shield after St Helens made it 13 consecutive wins in Super League with a 68-0 thrashing of Barrow

Dominant St Helens finished the regular season in style by thrashing Barrow Raiders 68-0 before lifting the League Leaders' Shield at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Leah Burke and Paige Travis both scored hat-tricks, while Megan Williams and Phoebe Hook - playing her first game since scoring in the Challenge Cup final in June - both scored twice.

Burke's treble made her the league's top try scorer with 25.

The victory over fifth-placed Barrow was Saints' 13th in a row as they finished top of the table, with their only defeat of the season back on the opening day against York Valkyrie.

Katie Mottershead, Zoe Harris and Tara Jones also grabbed tries while scrum-half Faye Gaskin, who masterminded the win, added six conversions with Harris adding another two.

Saints will face Wigan Warriors in the play-off semi-finals next weekend after their old rivals lost to Leeds Rhinos 24-4 in their final game of the regular season.

Rhinos made themselves favourites to take second place, and have home advantage next week, after dominating at the Brick Community Stadium.

Anna Robinson’s 22nd try of the season levelled Caitlin Casey’s opener for Leeds, but the Rhinos took full control after that.

Sophie Robinson scored twice and Keara Bennett and Amy Hardcastle rubbed in the visitors’ superiority with further tries.

To stand any chance of denying Leeds second place, York have to wipe out a deficit of 87 on points difference when they take on bottom club Featherstone on Sunday.