Each day whilst we are all in Lockdown we will recall a famous Saints moment from the current day thanks to Saints Heritage Society.
1 MAY – 2000
Super League Round 8: St. Helens 50-30 Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants at Knowsley Road.
Powerhouse New Zealand centre Kevin Iro thundered over for 5 tries, equalling the Super League record for tries in a match!
Iro, who was nicknamed “The Beast”, was simply irresistible as he charged in for his third hat-trick of the season and took his tally for the campaign to 13 tries in 11 games.
Sean Hoppe kickstarted Saints’ romp with the first of his side’s 10 tries.
Apollo Perelini claimed two tries and there were further scores for John Stankevitch and Chris Joynt.
Waisale Sovatabua bagged two tries for the Giants, while Darren Turner, substitute Dale Cardoza and full-back Gene Ngamu, who also kicked five goals from as many attempts, also touched down.
Parise for the Beast
St Helens coach Ian Millward paid tribute to his free-scoring centre Iro after the big Kiwi charged in for record-equalling feat.
“He got five and he could have had another five if people around him had handled the situation better,” said Millward.
“He’s been excellent for me on and off the field. He is scoring tries and he carries out my instructions very well.”
Teams:
St Helens: Wellens, Smith, Iro, Hoppe, Sullivan, Martyn, Long, Perelini, Cunningham, O’Neill, Tuilagi, Stankevitch, Joynt.
Replacements: Nickle, Hall, Henare, Bennett.
Hudd-Sheff: Ngamu, Houles, Lovell, Sovatabua, Dekkiche, Thorman, Clinch, Molloy, Lawless, Lomax, Bradbury, Marshall, Turner.
Replacements: Cardoza, Molyneux, Reilly, Russell.