The fourth and final game of the 2026 Saints Academy Tour, proudly sponsored by ASW Solicitors, embodied the classic mantra of our club: 'Never Write Off The Saints'. Our young St.Helens team came from behind to beat North Sydney Bears, 12-16.
The match was played across three 25-minute periods, and as the final match of the Australian adventure our youngsters had embarked on, it had all the feeling of a big match feel.
The Bears is a historic club and offered another stern test against strong opposition, and the Saints were forced to show patience and composure after a difficult opening period. Despite enjoying possession in promising attacking areas, our Academy struggled to make their opportunities count, allowing the Bears to capitalise and establish a 12–0 advantage after the first 25-minute period.
Saints returned for the second period with greater urgency and began to turn their attacking possession into points. Joe Hart led the response with an excellent individual effort, using a well-timed show-and-go to break through the defensive line and cross for our tourists’ opening try. Hart converted his own score before adding a penalty goal, bringing Saints to within four points at 12-8 and setting up a closely contested final period.
With the game finely poised, the Saints carried that momentum into the closing third.
Owen Schuster proved decisive, crossing for two well-taken tries to complete the turnaround and put Saints in front for the first time. Our players maintained their composure as the contest reached its conclusion, protecting their advantage to secure a 12-16 victory and finish their tour on a massive high!
There were several notable individual performances across the side, with Aidan Rawsthorne and Oliver Knox once again impressing. In the absence of tour captain Toby Bottell, who was unavailable after sustaining a shoulder injury, Matty Sinclair took on leadership responsibilities and led from the front, setting the standards for his teammates during a challenging encounter.
The result represents a fitting conclusion to a demanding and rewarding tour, during which the Academy have tested themselves against a variety of Australian opposition and gained valuable experience both individually and collectively. Overturning an early 12-point deficit against North Sydney Bears underlined the importance of remaining disciplined, trusting their attacking structures and continuing to work for one another when faced with adversity.
To finish the tour with a victory was a deserved reward for the players’ efforts throughout their time in Australia, with the comeback providing another memorable moment in their development!
