Saints U19s got back to winning ways with a hard fought 28-16 victory over a combative Giants side, writes Graham Henthorne.

The Saints took the lead with their first possession of the game. The Giants had got a fingertip to knock down a Jack Welsby pass on the third tackle but three plays later from the resultant scrum he was at it again.

This time his pass found Matty Foster who burst through the gap taking it 20 metres to the full back before feeding, back from injury, the supporting Josh Simm who went the final 30 to the corner.

The Giants took the lead on 10 minutes as they took advantage of a ball stealing penalty to score under the posts.

However, normal service was resumed five minutes later as Chris Follin scored. The Giants missed touch from a debatable penalty and Callum Hazzard made them pay. He took an inside ball back to the ruck bursting through the lazy defenders to the full back before giving a one-handed round the man pass to Follin who strolled under the black dot.

The Giants were no mugs though and on their next set they tested the Saints defensive metal. First Tom Nisbet got under the ball on the second tackle to save a try then on the fifth Follin did the same before the last tackle grubber was diffused as well.

As the half went on the Saints superior fitness started to tell and it was Hazzard who took full advantage with a brace of well taken tries.

On 25 minutes the Giants put the ball down on the Saints 40. From the scrum the ball was worked left but on the third tackle Welsby went back right passing to Hazzard who stepped inside two would be tacklers then the full back on his way to the posts.

His second was a good old-fashioned charge to the posts after the full back had grounded Welsby’s last tackle bomb.

The Saints lead was extended to 22 points, and the match effectively put to bed, early in the second period. Jack Welsby put a last tackle grubber through which was deflected back behind the Saints by a Giants foot. Elliott Jenkins reacted the quickest winning the race to regain possession and drove the ball in. From his play the ball Hazzard took the ball on before feeding Jorge Lewtas on the burst down the left for the score.

The Giants had been berated at the break for being soft and they came out determined to rectify that fact. The Saints weren’t content to lie down, however, giving like for like but the game suffered a bit as a result turning into a bit of a slug fest.

The Saints defensive capabilities were again called upon as poor ball security meant the Giants spent the majority of the final 30 minutes in the Saints half.

It’s testament to the voracity of that defensive effort that the line was only broken twice in the final five minutes giving the score a slightly false look.

Alex Eckley, Sam Royle, Foster and Follin all toiled hard. Josh Simm was a welcome returnee for his hard running and Welsby and Jenkins controlled the middle well enough. But the stand out player for this week for his elusive hard running and vision is Callum Hazzard.

Match Summary:

Saints U19s:
Tries: Josh Simm (1), Chris Follin (14), Callum Hazzard (25 & 33), Jorge Lewtas (46).
Goals: Callum Hazzard 4 from 5.

Huddersfield Giants U19s:
Tries: Tom Hugill (9), Tyllar Mellor (75), Jack Richardson (78).
Goals: Oliver Russell 2 from 3.

Half Time: 22-6
Full Time: 28-16

Teams:

Saints:
1. Tom Nisbet; 5. Sean Croston, 3. Cameron Brown, 4. Josh Simm, 2. Luke Ward; 6. Jack Welsby, 7. Elliott Jenkins; 8. Alex Eckley, 9. Jake Wingfield, 10. Callum Hazzard, 11. Matty Foster, 12. Sam Royle, 13. Chris Follin.
Subs: 14. Paul Nash, 15. Joe Sharratt 16. Jorge Lewtas, 17. Chris Kellett.

Huddersfield:
1. Louis Senior; 5. Dominic Young, 4. Jack Richardson, 3. Jacob Wardle, 2. Tyllar Mellor; 6. Oliver Russell, 7. Josh Pinder; 8. Jon Luke Kirby, 9. Jamie Greenwood, 18. Tom Hugill, 11. Lucas Hallas, 12. Sam Hewitt, 15. Ross Whitmore.
Subs: 10. Ben Bamber, 16. Thomas Mayoh, 19. Connor Murphy, 20. Alfie Copley.