Saints retained the Carnegie Challenge Cup with an excellent defensive and kicking display in blistering heat at Wembley.

 

A try either side of half time beat off a spirited Catalans team 30-8 who never gave up on their big day in London.

 

A glorious and very colourful day at Wembley greeted the two sides – rather ‘South of France’ in temperature – and very hot at pitch side.

 

Saints started with their expected 17 – Leon returning to the stand off role and young Paul Clough getting the nod on the bench. Keiron Cunningham – the only player to have appeared in finals at Twickenham, Cardiff, Murrayfield and both Wembleys - was named as captain.

 

For the Catalans, Casey McGuire missed out so Mogg aimed to continue his excellent run of form at stand off.

 

The atmosphere at kick off was loud and Wembley bedecked in a sea of Red and White.

 

From the kick off Saints were straight into the Catalans’ faces pressurising them in the tackle, but Stacey Jones fired an excellent kick to get into good field possession.

 

On the next set of six, the Kiwi scrum half forced a drop out, but it came to nothing.

 

On three minutes a cheeky kick through from Longy was well fielded by the Catalan defence. The Dragons, with the help of a penalty then went up the other end of the field and should have done better on the right when a gap opened up. But the combination of Mogg and Jones couldn’t unlock the defence.

 

On the Dragons next set Wello expertly caught a high ball under pressure.

 

It took 11 minutes before Saints showed any real attacking prowess. Matt Gidley broke through 40 out on the right and drew the defence to send Longy away. But Catalan were up to the attack and a high ball from Leon was far too long.

 

Playing in their first final, the Catalans certainly had their tails up and again, on the back of a penalty, found themselves in the Saints’ 20. But once again poor handling gifted the ball to Saints.

 

It was the story of the first 15 minutes summed up in one play. Catalan having all the decent field position, but being unable to string a couple of passes together to get through. Saints on the other hand, simply didn’t have the field position to do anything.

 

On 18 minutes Saints got the field position they needed. The forwards and Talau drove the ball onto the Cats’ line, but excellent defence stopped Gidley going over for the maiden score after he had drawn the centre.

 

A mistake from Klein then gave Catalans the chance to attack. Wilkin drove through the centre and the ball was clearly batted out of his hands. But Ashley gave a knock-on and from there Stacey Jones fired over a beautiful kick, over the cross bar that Croker acrobatically caught and grounded.

 

It took the video ref an age to make his decision, and he ruled in favour of Saints as Croker failed to put the ball down before going ‘dead’.

 

It was a let off for Saints (and Klein) and the kick they needed to get going. Benno drove the ball to within inches and it was worked out to Longy, Gids and then Ade who couldn’t take the ball. If he had, Saints would have been up.

 

On the next set the Saints once again found themselves within a few feet. But once again the Cats defence was too strong; Leon being held up inches from the line.

 

A minute later the Dragons held him up once again.

 

But Saints weren’t to be denied a third time when Robes danced his way through the middle to go under the sticks. Maurie did the damage down the middle, then Robes scooted from dummy half, evading several would be tacklers to go over. Long added the simplest of extras.

 

It was a timely score and much needed in a real battle at Wembley.

 

But almost immediately, Catalan hit back after Longy lost possession in the centre of the park.

 

The ball was taken to the Saints’ 20 and it was left for Stacey Jones to fire a lofted pass, which missed Ade Gardner, for Khattabi to go in the corner. Jones slightly wide with the extras.

 

Saints then went the full length of the field to go in front. Roby started the move, then Graham, before Longy and Gids combined to put Gards in.

 

He still had a lot of work to do, but he cut inside, took on the defence and went over. Longy slotted a pearler from the corner to put his charges 12-4 up at half time.

 

Into the second stanza and most of the pitch was in shade – utilised well by Sean Long on his first kick of the second half.

 

Saints then benefited from a Dragon knock on penned them back on their own try line following a cute dig through from Matt Gidley.

 

And on their next set, Wilkin created some space for Leon and Longy to combine 10 yards out – the latter sending a kick through which caused panic in the defence with Mr St Helens himself – Paul Wellens – picking it up and going under the posts. Longy added the extras once again.

 

Quite simply, the perfect start to the second half.

 

From there, Saints turned up the heat. Catalan heads dropped and Longy kicked them deeper into their own half.

 

And ten minutes in Saints put the game beyond doubt. Key led the Cats a merry dance before sending Longy though, who was ankle tapped inches from the line. The ball was then fed out to Paul Clough who had the simplest of tasks to increase the lead.

 

Catalan hit back a few moments later when a poor pass from Wilkin was picked up by Murphy who raced over the whitewash. Stacey Jones missed the resultant conversion attempt.

 

Longy added two points from the boot to take the Saints further out before Gardner added his second to give Saints glory once again.

Pictures from the game and the homecoming will be added shortly.