Rugby Super League - Round 7

[DIEHARD]

Rugby Super League - Round 7

[DIEHARD]

Official Match Report

V

St Helens (12) 28 defeat Warrington (4) 18
Friday 19th March 2010 - KO.2000

Match Official: Richard Silverwood
Venue: GPW Recruitment Stadium
Attendance: 17,500

St Helens squad

Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Dean, Meli, Pryce, Eastmond, Graham, Cunningham, Puletua, Flannery, Soliola, Wilkin.

Replacements: Roby, Hargreaves, Clough, Fa'asavalu.

Warrington squad

Mathers, Hicks, King, Atkins, Riley, Grix, Myler, Morley, Monaghan, Carvell, L. Anderson, Westwood, Harrison.

Replacements: Bridge, Higham, Wood, Solomona.

St Helens

Try Scorers: A Gardner 2, K Eastmond 1, J Wilkin 1,
Goal Scorers: K Eastmond 6,

Warrington scorers

Try Scorers: C Hicks 1, M King 1, S Grix 1, B Harrison 1,
Goal Scorers: C Bridge 1,

Report

The accurate boot of 20-year-old Kyle Eastmond denied Warrington Wolves the chance to end their GPW Recruitment Stadium hoodoo as St Helens secured the win that lifts them joint top of the Engage Super League.

With both sides scoring four tries, the outcome hinged on the goalkicking of half-back Eastmond, who kicked six goals from six attempts, including two touchline conversions, and also scored a delightful solo try to underline his growing importance to Saints.

Mick Potter?s men, who were at full strength for the first time this year, were cruising to a fifth win when they led 20-4 after 52 minutes but the Wolves ran in three tries in eight minutes to set up a grandstand finish.

Ade Gardner?s second try on 65 minutes ended the fightback, condemning the visitors to only their second defeat of the season and continuing their dismal record at the GPW Recruitment Stadium, where they have never won in Super League and never will as St Helens prepare to move to a new stadium.

Warrington, who missed out on the chance to go two points clear, at least played their part in a tremendous derby in front of a sell-out 17,500 crowd.

Saints drew first blood from their first attack when England half-back Eastmond demonstrated his electrifying footwork to leave a trail of defenders in the wake of his mazy run to the line for a sparkling try.

The game was full of tough, bruising exchanges with tryscoring chances few and far between in the conditions made tricky by steady rain.

It took Warrington half-an-hour to pierce the Saints defence, which eventually opened up invitingly for stand-off Simon Grix to slice through for their only try of the half.

Myler was well wide with the conversion attempt that would have levelled the scores and the visitors slipped further behind courtesy of a fortuitous try by Saints back rower Jon Wilkin, who followed up his own grubber kick and pounced for the touchdown after the ball cruelly rebounded off the legs of Wolves winger Chris Riley.

Saints were forced into a re-shuffle two minutes into the second half when full-back Paul Wellens, who had been struggling from the effects of a crunching two-man tackle early in the game, finally went off.

Eastmond plugged the gap, with James Roby taking over at scrum half, as Saints brushed off the setback to quickly extend their lead.

When Warrington full-back Richard Mathers fumbled Eastmond?s towering kick, the lively Saints man was quick to react, re-gathering possession and sending out a long pass for Gardner to cross unopposed for his side?s third try.

Eastmond, who could do little wrong, added the touchline conversion and extended his side?s lead to 20-4 with a penalty on 52 minutes.

The game was in danger of slipping away from the visitors but they struck with three tries in eight minutes to bring themselves right back into it.

Centre Matt King finished off a smart handling move to claim his seventh try in his last four matches, loose forward Ben Harrison pounced after Michael Monaghan?s high kicked eluded Gardner and smart work from substitute Chris Bridge worked winger Chris Hicks over.

Bridge was able to add only one conversion however to leave Warrington still trailing despite scoring four tries to three.

Saints were clearly rocking but Gardner steadied their nerves with his second try after quick hands from Tony Puletua and Matt Gidley created the opening.

Eastmond maintained both his nerve and his 100% record with a second touchline conversion that edged his side two scores in front and put the seal on a splendid evening?s work with another penalty in the last minute.

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

[DIEHARD]

Official Match ReportFriday 19th March 2010 - KO.2000

Crusaders RL (8) 14
Catalans Dragons (0) 6

Match Official: T Alibert
Venue: Racecourse
Attendance: 6,124 Crusaders RL squad

Kear, Thomas, Martin, Mellars, Dyer, Lupton, Witt, O'Hara, Withers, Bryant, Chan, Hauraki, Trimarchi.

Replacements: Thackray, Flower, Youngquest, Winterstein.
Catalans Dragons squad

Walker, Bell, Raguin, Pelo, Stacul, Sa, McGuire, Ferriol, Bentley, Carlaw, Elima, Gossard, Johnson.

Replacements: Guisset, Mounis, Fakir, Gigot.
Crusaders RL scorers

Try Scorers:
P Lupton 1, J Chan 1,

Goal Scorers:
M Witt 3,

Drop Goals Scorers:

Catalans Dragons scorers

Try Scorers:
O Elima 1,

Goal Scorers:
G Mounis 1,

Drop Goals Scorers:

Report

Gareth Thomas was helped off injured as he was given a tough rugby league baptism on a wet night in Wrexham.

The Wales rugby union legend was just half an hour into his Engage Super League debut for Crusaders RL when he was hurt in a heavy Catalans Dragons tackle and forced to leave the field.

Until then the 35-year-old had barely made an impact in a dull encounter at the Racecourse Ground, but the Welsh side ultimately prevailed after tries from Jason Chan and Peter Lupton.

Initial word suggested Thomas, who had struggled to his feet and attempted to play the ball after the tackle, had suffered concussion but, although he did not return, he was not seriously injured.

The anticipated first appearance of Thomas, signed from Cardiff Blues earlier this month, contributed to a healthy crowd of 6,124 - more than double the figure that watched last season’s corresponding fixture in Bridgend.

And those that had come to see the club’s new marquee player were not initially disappointed as he was named on the right wing and not the bench by coach Brian Noble.

Unfortunately for all concerned in the Welsh camp, the dugout was where he was to spend the majority of the game after his involvement was ended prematurely.

Even before Thomas was forced to withdraw, his first appearance in the 13-man game had been a low key one.

Despite the hosts dominating possession against a Dragons side low on confidence after five defeats in six, Thomas was unable to get into the game.

Much of that was down to Catalans’ aggressive defence and their determination to at least make life uncomfortable for the hosts.

Crusaders tried to make the early running and gained good ground after David Ferriol was penalised for a late body check on Michael Witt.

Catalans held out on that occasion but continued to invite pressure and fell behind after eight minutes as Chan weaved his way through a static defence and then burrowed over the line.

Witt, after converting, then tried to create another for Thomas with a high kick but the new man was unable to catch under pressure.

The hosts then lost Rocky Trimarchi to injury and Thomas was to follow after coming infield to claim the ball.

Thomas struggled to regain his footing after running low into a challenge and was helped back to the bench.

Catalans were clearly trying to make up for what they lacked in creativity with power but one tackle by Jamal Fakir as Crusaders attacked was too late and too high.

Witt kicked the resulting penalty to put Crusaders 8-0 ahead at the interval.

Catalans cut the gap to just two points after the restart as Casey McGuire launched a high kick out wide and Olivier Elima rose high to claim a try which Gregory Mounis converted.

A comeback failed to materialise as Crusaders found another gear.

They responded with some good pressure and a chance opened up for Nick Youngquest out wide but the winger was unable to gather the slippery ball.

Pressure paid off as Lupton powered his way through a Dimitri Pelo tackle to touch down.

The video referee was asked to adjudicate on the grounding and gave Lupton the benefit of the doubt.

Crusaders almost had another moments later as Pelo lost the ball close to his in-goal area but McGuire just got a foot in to deny Frank Winterstein.

[DIEHARD]

Official Match ReportFriday 19th March 2010 - KO.2000

Hull (6) 18
Bradford (2) 6

Match Official: Ben Thaler
Venue: The KC Stadium
Attendance: 14,466 Hull squad

Tansey, Calderwood, Whiting, Yeaman, T. Briscoe, Turner, Long, Radford, Berrigan, O'Meley, Manu, Tickle, Fitzgibbon.

Replacements: Cusack, Dowes, Lauaki, Houghton.
Bradford squad

Halley, Sheriffe, Platt, Nero, Reardon, Sykes, Kearney, Scruton, L'Estrange, Lynch, Whitehead, Langley, Menzies.

Replacements: Godwin, Donaldson, Kopczak, Hall.
Hull scorers

Try Scorers:
J Tansey 2, L Radford 1,

Goal Scorers:
D Tickle 3,

Drop Goals Scorers:

Bradford scorers

Try Scorers:
S Reardon 1,

Goal Scorers:
P Sykes 1,

Drop Goals Scorers:

Report

An outstanding performance from veteran Australian forward Craig Fitzgibbon proved to be the difference for Hull FC as they maintained their 100% home record with a gritty win over Bradford Bulls.

Two tries from Jordan Tansey and one from Lee Radford secured the points for Richard Agar’s men on paper, but on a wet and miserable night, it was the sheer determination and endeavour of Fitzgibbon that dragged the home side over the line.

The 32-year-old former Sydney Rooster looked out on his feet for most of the contest but called on all of the quality that earned him 19 caps for his country to dominate in both attack and defence as Hull got back on track following last weekend’s hammering at Wigan Warriors.

Bradford, who barely troubled Hull’s line, were hamstrung by the late withdrawal of playmaker Matt Orford through illness and short of Paul Sykes’ first-half penalty and Stuart Reardon’s late consolation, offered little in attack as they slipped to a fourth loss of the season.

Hull were also hit by a late pull out as Richard Horne failed to shake off a rib injury, and the absence of the pair was noticeable in the opening exchanges as neither side created a genuine chance in a tortuous first quarter, with Sykes’ 16th-minute penalty the only incident of note.

Peter Cusack put the ball down close to the line for Hull and Mark Calderwood produced a crunching tackle to dump Bradford winger Reardon into touch as he shaped to score, but things did not liven up until the final few minutes of the opening half.

Willie Manu thought he had given Hull the lead when he jumped in at the corner after Calderwood’s pass, only for referee Ben Thaler to deem that he had not grounded correctly.

Thaler did give his approval to Hull’s next appeal, though, Tansey outpacing the Bradford defence to get a hand to Jordan Turner’s opportunistic grubber kick just 10 seconds before the half-time hooter.

The difference in Hull’s approach was evident after the restart, with their forwards, Fitzgibbon and Ewan Dowes in particular, carrying the ball with a great purpose and Bradford had little answer to their momentum.

Therefore it was of no surprise when Hull and Tansey grabbed a second score after 47 minutes.

Long forced a drop-out to lay the foundations for the try, which came when Fitzgibbon kept his cool to play Tansey in at the corner after the ball had sprung loose following Kirk Yeaman’s determined surge to the line.

Bradford had little answer to Hull opening a two-score lead and even when they did get their hands on the ball, they found the exceptional Fitzgibbon to be an immovable object in the Hull line.

With Steve McNamara’s side out on their feet, it was left to former Bradford forward Lee Radford to seal the win with a close-range dart from dummy half 10 minutes from the end, before Reardon slipped in at the corner with 70 seconds remaining.

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

[DIEHARD]

Official Match ReportFriday 19th March 2010 - KO.2000

Leeds (6) 10
Hull K R (16) 17

Match Official: Steve Ganson
Venue: Headingley Carnegie
Attendance: 15,201 Leeds squad

Webb, Coady, Delaney, Senior, Clarkson, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Pea****, Kirke, Pitts, Jones-Buchanan.

Replacements: Lauitiiti, Burgess, Amor, McShane.
Hull K R squad

Briscoe, Fox, Webster, Welham, Colbon, Murrell, Dobson, Vella, Hodgson, Clinton, Lovegrove, Newton, Galea.

Replacements: Wheeldon, Netherton, Fisher, Watts.
Leeds scorers

Try Scorers:
K Senior 1, J Jones-Buchanan 1,

Goal Scorers:
R Burrow 1,

Drop Goals Scorers:

Hull K R scorers

Try Scorers:
S Briscoe 1, P Fox 1, L Colbon 1,

Goal Scorers:
M Dobson 2,

Drop Goals Scorers:
M Dobson 1,
Report

Hull Kingston Rovers recorded their first league win at Headingley for 25 years as Leeds Rhinos’ miserable start to Engage Super League XV continued.

Liam Colbon, Peter Fox and Shaun Briscoe gave the East Yorkshire side a 16-6 lead at the interval.

Although Leeds, who have now lost four of their seven fixtures this season, managed to reduce the deficit to six points with a score from Keith Senior, the Robins held on for a memorable win.

All the talk prior to kick-off was about how the two Rhinos debutants, Michael Coady and Chris Clarkson, would fare but it was an old head who crossed for the opener.

With just seconds on the clock a Michael Dobson kick was patted down by the onrushing Jamie Jones-Buchanan and from 20 metres out with no defenders to beat the Rhinos second-row cantered over for the opener. Rob Burrow slotted the extras with his left boot.

Brent Webb looked sharp each time he was asked to work Dobson's kicks back up field but it was in going forward that the champions looked flat.

Hull KR made them pay when Colbon squeezed his way over in the far corner with 22 minutes gone.

Kris Welham took the ball on at speed, beat his opposing centre on the outside by showing a dummy and linked up with eventual tryscorer Colbon.

Dobson missed the conversion attempt but a second score for the visitors arrived just four minutes later.

Jake Webster made it when he left Senior, who continually took up position on the wing when defending, for dead when he rounded him at speed following a couple of great darts from dummy-half.

As the cover arrived in the shape of full-back Webb the big New Zealander slung the ball back inside for the supporting Fox to run under the sticks.

This time Dobson tagged on the extra two points.

Shortly after a fine chase and tackle from Burrow denied Briscoe after he had raced 80 metres.

But a clever grubber from Dobson gave the Robins full-back another chance to score and he made no mistake in beating Ali Lauitiiti to touch down for another converted score four minutes before the break.

Leeds, who clearly missed skipper Kevin Sinfield’s kicking game, lacked ideas in the second half and Rovers applied the pressure.

But a late shot on Danny McGuire by Welham handed Leeds a good field position and they put themselves back in the game with seven second-half minutes gone.

The ball was spun wide through the hands of the backs following a well-constructed set.

Burrow and Webb both took hits and when the ball eventually found the hands of Senior there was no stopping him as he charged for the corner. Burrow missed what was a difficult conversion and minutes later Dobson put a penalty wide for the Robins.

A poor quality second half, littered with handling errors on the Rhinos' part, was summed up by a Luke Burgess knock-on which saw another opportunity for the hosts go begging.

Leeds’ frustrations boiled over when an altercation between McGuire and Michael Vella sparked an all-in brawl with minutes remaining.

A Dobson drop-goal rubbed further salt in the wounds during the closing stages.

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

[TITAN PETE]

Pat Richards' trusty boot kicked table-topping Wigan to an 18-10 victory over bitter rivals St Helens - but they were made to hold off a second-half fightback at Knowsley Road.

Wigan - coached by former Melbourne assistant coach Michael Maguire - had not beaten Saints on their own pitch since September 2003.

But five goals from ex-Wests Tigers' winger Richards sealed the two points for the Warriors as they maintained their lead at the summit of Super League.

Maguire's men started at break-neck speed at Saints and Richards put the first points on the board.

Wigan then lost former Newcastle centre George Carmont to injury but two tries in four minutes put them in command.

First, Darrell Goulding scored his eighth try of the season before prop Iafeta Paleaaesina bundled over to make it 14-0 at the break.

Saints were back in the game though when former Sydney Roosters' back Amos Roberts was sent to the sin-bin and Ade Gardner and Tony Puletua both scored for the hosts.

But Roberts settled the nerves with a late penalty to keep Wigan top of the league.

Former Australia Test forward Craig Fitzgibbon's try ensured Hull FC gained local bragging rights with an 18-14 win over Hull KR.

Loose forward Fitzgibbon, an off-season acquisition from Sydney Roosters, scored one of three tries for Richard Agar's men at Craven Park.

Hull KR led 8-0 inside the first eight minutes after Ben ****ayne's early interception try and two penalties from Michael Dobson.

Tom Briscoe hit back for the Airlie Birds while Fitzgibbon kept them in touch after Kris Welham had scored for Rovers to make it 14-12 at half-time.

But ex-Sydney Roosters full-back Jordan Tansey scored after the break to inflict a fifth defeat of the season on Justin Morgan's men.

Reigning champions Leeds Rhinos produced a stunning second-half comeback as they drew 20-20 with Bradford Bulls.

Wing Lee Smith - making his second debut for the Rhinos after an ill-fated spell in rugby union with English Premiership side London Wasps - scored twice for Brian McClennan's men.

Leeds had looked down and out at 16-6 down at half-time as tries from Chris Nero, Dave Halley and Steve Menzies put the Bulls in command.

Ex-St George centre Nero scored again for the Bulls before Leeds hit back through Brett Delaney, returning skipper Kevin Sinfield and Smith's second try for a share of the points.

Warrington kept tabs with Wigan at the top of Super League with a thumping 32-2 win over Salford.

In-form wing Chris Riley scored two tries for Tony Smith's men - as did ex-Manly back Chris Hicks.

Ryan Atkins, Richie Mathers and David Solomona also got on the scoresheet for the Wolves.

Huddersfield ran in nine tries as they piled more pressure on under-fire Catalans Dragons' coach Kevin Walters in a 48-6 victory at the Galpharm Stadium.

Captain Brett Hodgson scored one try and kicked six goals for Nathan Brown's men while scrum-half Danny Brough and David Hodgson both bagged doubles.

David Faiumu, Lee Gilmour, Kevin Brown and Leroy Cudjoe completed the scoring while Dimitri Pelo scored the only try for the Dragons.

Wakefield completed a narrow 18-6 victory over Castleford while the Crusaders' match with Harlequins was called off for a waterlogged pitch.

[TITAN PETE]

Great to see Wigan back on top after so many years & how well are the Aussies going over there