Rugby Super League - Round 6

[DIEHARD]

RUGBY SUPER LEAGUE ROUND 6

[DIEHARD]

V

Hull Kingston Rovers vs Wakefield Wildcats

Match Official: J Child
Venue: Craven Park

Hull Kingston Rovers squad

Briscoe, Fox, Welham, Webster, Colbon, I'Anson, Dobson, Vella, Murrell, Clinton, Newton, Lovegrove, Galea, Watts, Fisher, Wheeldon, ****ayne, Mariano, Hodgson.

Wakefield Wildcats squad

Blaymire, Blanch, Gleeson, Millard, Brough, Tronc, Korkidas, Ferguson, Morrison, Demetriou, Obst , Henderson, Murphy, Leo-Latu, Southernwood, Morton, Davey, Moore, Gledhill.

Preview

Hull Kingston Rovers have a doubt over stand-off Chaz I’Anson, who has a knee injury, so coach Justin Morgan may switch Ben Galea from the pack.

Morgan has called Frankie Mariano, a 22-year-old centre or second rower, into his squad for the first time.

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats coach John Kear has responded to his side’s 52-0 thrashing by Huddersfield by calling up prop Ben Gledhill and teenage stand-off Cain Southernwood, who could replace the injured Ben Jeffries

[DIEHARD]

V

St. Helens vs Crusaders RL

Friday 12th March 2010 - KO.

Match Official: P Bentham
Venue: GPW Recruitment Stadium

St. Helens squad

Gardner, Meli, Pryce, Eastmond, Fozzard, Cunningham, Graham, Puletua, Wilkin, Flannery, Roby, Hargreaves, Moore, Clough, Ashurst, Dean, Wheeler, Dixon, Fa'asavalu.

Crusaders RL squad

Youngquest, Mellars, Raynor, Witt, O'Hara, Withers, Bryant, Hauraki, Chan, Trimarchi, Dyer, Martin, Winternstein, Peek, Thackray, James, Kear, Lupton, Blackwood.

Preview

St Helens will be without full-back Paul Wellens and winger Jonny Lomax, who were both injured in Sunday?s defeat at Hull Kingston Rovers, but Ade Gardner returns from a four-match absence with a rib injury and back row forwards Jon Wilkin and Chris Flannery are also back.

Crusaders RL coach Brian Noble brings in winger Anthony Blackwood for Lloyd White, who sustained a leg injury in Sunday?s defeat at Warrington Wolves.

New signing Gareth Thomas will not feature against Saints but is expected to make his debut against Catalans Dragons on Friday week.

Source: http://www.SuperLeague.co.uk

[DIEHARD]

V

Wigan Warriors vs Hull FC
Friday 12th March 2010 - KO.

Match Official: T Alibert
Venue: DW Stadium

Wigan Warriors squad

Phelps, Roberts, Gleeson, Richards, S. Tomkins, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Coley, Hansen, J. Tomkins, O'Loughlin, Prescott, Bailey, Paleaaesina, Deacon, O'Carroll, Mossop, Goulding.

Hull FC squad

Berrigan, T. Briscoe, Cusack, Dowes, Fitzgibbon, Hall, Horne, Houghton, Lauaki, Long, Manu, Moa, O'Meley, Radford, Tansey, Tickle, Turner, Whiting, Yeaman.

Preview

Wigan Warriors recall full-back Cameron Phelps from a three-match absence with an ankle injury, with Amos Roberts set to revert to the wing and Darrell Goulding switch inside to replace centre George Carmont, who is out with a badly-cut knee and hip injury sustained in the defeat at Bradford.

Prop Paul Prescott is hoping for a recall after being left out against the Bulls.

Hull FC captain Sean Long returns from a three-match absence with a hamstring injury and so does former skipper Lee Radford, who missed last week?s win over Castleford Tigers through illness. Former Wigan winger Mark Calderwood misses out on a return to the DW Stadium.

Source: http://www.superleague.co.uk

[DIEHARD]

St Helens (24) 37
Crusaders RL (6) 30

St Helens scorers

Try Scorers: K Eastmond 1, C Dean 1, F Meli 1, L Pryce 1, J Roby 1, P Clough 1,

Goal Scorers: K Eastmond 6,

Drop Goals Scorers: K Eastmond 1,

Crusaders RL scorers

Try Scorers: A Blackwood 1, V Mellars 1, G Raynor 1, L Withers 1, J Thackray 1,

Goal Scorers: M Witt 5

Report

Gareth Thomas watched a thrilling encounter as Crusaders RL gave St Helens a huge fright before leaving the GPW Recruitment Stadium with their pride intact and their reputation enhanced.

Thomas – who should make his debut for Crusaders in next Friday's home clash against Catalans Dragons – watched on from St Helens' main stand and saw his new team outscored by six tries to five.

Yet Brian Noble's men played some delightful stuff at times and never let their spirits sag, giving Saints several anxious moments with four second-half tries and leaving Thomas with much cause for optimism as he embarks on his new career.

Michael Witt was a prominent figure throughout for Crusaders at scrum-half, but Saints looked a class above the visitors for much of the opening period.

They led in the fifth minute when some slick handling in midfield culminated in Jon Wilkin sending James Roby scampering clear from 10 metres out.

Try number two arrived six minutes later when Roby and Leon Pryce combined effectively to find the outstanding Kyle Eastmond and the England scrum-half showed brilliant footwork to glide past Mark Bryant and cross the line.

Eastmond – deputising for the injured Paul Wellens at full-back – converted both scores and, at 12-0 down, Crusaders seemed destined for a long night.

Yet the Welshmen, backed by a small but vociferous following, refused to lie down.

They were right back in the match in the 19th minute when centre Vince Mellars grounded a high kick from Witt, who converted the try.

Crusaders continued to probe but St Helens underlined their greater cutting edge again in the 26th minute when Pryce found rookie centre Gary Wheeler and he raced down the left flank before sending Francis Meli in at the corner.

As Crusaders conceded a number of penalties in quick succession, St Helens continued to build up a head of steam and their fourth try arrived in the 36th minute when Eastmond's delightful kick was grounded by Chris Dean.

Eastmond added the conversion to maintain his 100% record with the boot and put Saints firmly in control at the break.

Crusaders took the game to St Helens in the second half and were rewarded in the 46th minute when Withers' rapier-like pass sent the onrushing Jamie Thackray over from close range.

Witt added the extras but Saints hit back immediately and claimed their fifth score when a horrendous defensive lapse allowed Paul Clough to collect possession and saunter over for the simplest of scores.

In the 55th minute, Pryce got the try his work-rate deserved as a neat sidestep sent him clear and Eastmond added the extras.

Yet two minutes later, Gareth Raynor raced 40 metres to touch down and 10 minutes later Witt went over for their fourth score.

Remarkably, Crusaders crossed for a fifth time with six minutes remaining when wing Anthony Blackwood touched down in the left corner.

Witt converted all of his side's tries and only a late drop-goal from Eastmond eased home nerves as the points went to St Helens but the plaudits to Crusaders.

Source: http://www.superleague.co.uk/

[DIEHARD]

Wigan (24) 48
Hull (6) 24 .

Wigan scorers

Try Scorers: C Phelps 1, A Roberts 1, M Gleeson 1, D Goulding 2, P Richards 1, S Tomkins 2,

Goal Scorers: P Richards 8,

Hull scorers

Try Scorers: C Hall 1, R Whiting 1, R Horne 1, S Long 1,

Goal Scorers: D Tickle 4,

Report

Wigan Warriors bounced back in style from their first defeat of the season with an eight-try rout of Hull FC to consolidate their lead in Engage Super League XV.

Any fear of a hangover from their second-half collapse at Bradford Bulls seven days earlier was removed by the interval, with all the Warriors three-quarters scoring tries in a clinical display.

Hull, who had the chance themselves to go top of the table, were on the back foot from the start as Pat Richards, Darrell Goulding, Martin Gleeson and Amos Roberts struck decisively to establish a commanding 18-point lead.

By the end, all the Wigan backs had got among the tries and Richards, Engage Super League’s leading scorer, finished with another 20-point haul.

Warriors coach Michael Maguire responded to last week’s loss by axing Paul Deacon and Iafeta Paleaaesina while restoring Cameron Phelps to the full-back berth following his recovery from injury.

New Hull skipper Sean Long was back to face his home-town club and, roundly booed with every touch of the ball, all he had to show for his efforts was a cut head until he grabbed a consolation try five minutes from the end.

The first points came courtesy of the boot of Richards, who kicked a penalty on 11 minutes and followed it up with the game’s first try four minutes later.

Wigan pulled the Hull defence to the right before swinging play to the left and skipper Sean O’Loughlin’s pass gave Richards an unopposed run in for his ninth try of the season.

The Warriors were full of confidence and extended their lead midway through the half when Goulding, switched to centre in place of the injured George Carmont, produced a brilliant solo effort, wrong-footing the defence with a 180-degree turn and fending off two tacklers to touch down.

Hull were in danger of being played out of the game but they struck back with a well-worked try from centre Richard Whiting, who finished off another break from the dangerous Richard Horne and would have scored a second but for dropping a return pass from winger Craig Hall.

However, Wigan finished the half in total control, with Gleeson taking Joel Tomkins’ pass and side-stepping his way over for the third try.

Phelps was denied by a marginal forward pass but Roberts made no mistake when the ball bounced kindly following O’Loughlin’s chip over the Hull defence and Richards kicked his fourth goal.

It took Wigan just six minutes into the second half to extend their lead and the try illustrated the ease with which they managed to prise open the Hull defence.

The Warriors ran a penalty close to the line and used swift hands to work the ball out wide to create a big overlap for Sam Tomkins to send in Goulding for his second try.

Sam Tomkins then took centre stage, first demonstrating his electrifying footwork to touch down and then following his own grubber kick to claim a second and clinch the man of the match award.

Hull winger Craig Hall’s 68th-minute try briefly stemmed the tide but Phelps completed the rout when he finished off another glorious move sparked by Tomkins and Richards kicked his eighth goal.

Hull were well beaten but at least produced a spirited finish that brought them tries through Long and Horne, with ex-Wigan forward Danny Tickle kicking his fourth goal.

Source: http://www.superleague.co.uk/

[DIEHARD]

Catalans Dragons v Castleford Tigers
Saturday 13th March 2010 - KO.

V

Match Official: I Smith
Venue: Stade Gilbert Brutus

Catalans Dragons squad

Greenshields, Bell, Raguin, Sa, Ferriol, McGuire, Guisset, Elima, Mounis, Johnson, Gossard, Carlaw, Bentley, Martins, Fakir, Walker, Casty, Gigot, Stacul.

Castleford Tigers squad

Dixon, Shenton, Evans, Wainwright, Chase, Sherwin, Sargent, Hudson, Huby, Snitch, Westerman, Jones, Higgins, Clayton, Massey, Davies, McGoldrick, Ainscough, Cooper.

Preview

Catalans Dragons continue with Setaimata Sa and Casey McGuire at half-back in place of injured duo Adam Mogg and Thomas Bosc while prop Remi Casty and winger Cyril Stacul are recalled in place of Sebastien Martins and the injured Dimitri Pelo.

Castleford Tigers give a debut to new loan signing Mike Cooper and welcome back loose forward Joe Westerman, who missed last week?s defeat at Hull FC with a knee injury.

Coach Terry Matterson has also included young forwards John Davies and Nathan Massey but Paul Jackson is out with a groin injury and joins Richard Owen, Brett Ferres and Dean Widders on the casualty list.

Source: http://www.superleague.co.uk

[DIEHARD]

Warrington Wolves v Bradford Bulls
Saturday 13th March 2010 - KO.

V

Match Official: S Ganson
Venue: Halliwell Jones Stadium

Warrington Wolves squad

L. Anderson, V. Anderson, Atkins, Bridge, Carvell, Grix, Harrison, Hicks, Higham, King, Mathers, Monaghan, Morley, Myler, Riley, Solomona, Westwood, Williams, Wood.

Bradford Bulls squad

Sykes, Langley, Sheriffe, Kopczak, Donaldson, Scruton, Menzies, Kearney, Godwin, L'Estrange, Halley, Nero, Lynch, Reardon, Hall, Crookes, Worrincy, Whitehead, Orford.

Preview

Warrington Wolves are still without influential stand-off Lee Briers but full-back Richard Mathers and scrum half Richie Myler return after missing last week?s win over Crusaders RL through injury.

Michael Monaghan reverts from scrum half to hooker.

Bradford Bulls winger Rikki Sheriffe is set to return after recovering from the hamstring injury that forced him to miss last week?s win over Wigan Warriors. That will be the only change to a stable team.

Source: http://www.superleague.co.uk/