Castleford Tigers v Saints

Match Report
As it Happened
Line Up
Match News

Saints’ Betfred Super League 2023 campaign got off to a winning start, after a 6-24 victory over Castleford at The Mend-A-Hose Jungle!

Cas had a great chance to open the scoring in the first minute, a move from right to left saw Jake Mamo break down the Tigers left wing, he passed to the supporting Niall Evalds on his inside but he fumbled the ball with just the line in front of him, 0-0. Another chance quickly followed, Cas kicked a 40/20 so received a set in great field position. The visitors defence stood firm though, as they held the Tigers out a metre short of their line.

The video referee was then called into action. Saints threw the ball out the back and Jack Welsby found Konrad Hurrell, who then found Tee Ritson, who dove for the corner. However, his knee was judged to have gone into touch before grounding the ball, so the try wasn’t awarded and it remained scoreless.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 24th minute. A break down the left edge by Mark Percival put the Red V on the front foot, off the back of it Jonny Lomax found Welsby and he stretched out to score under the sticks. Percival converted, 0-6 the visitors led.

Another quick break followed. From the restart, James Bell broke through the Tigers defence and moved downfield, he then kicked ahead towards Ritson on the right wing but he was just about unable to keep the ball in with open field ahead of him, 0-6.

Despite both teams having plenty of chances, it was just a Welsby try that separated the two sides at the break in West Yorkshire, 0-6 the Red V led.

It took just six second half minutes for the games second try. Hurrell threw an offload in midfield which found Lomax, he then threw a dummy before making a great break down the right edge, he then found the supporting Ritson who flew over for his first Saints try. Percival converted, 0-12.

Castleford were then awarded a penalty try. A move from right to left resulted in Jack Broadbent heading towards the corner. Welsby stopped the Cas player but it was judged to be high therefore the hosts were awarded four points with a conversion in front of the sticks which Gareth Widdop converted, 6-12.

After spending repeated sets on the Tigers line, Saints once again made it a two-score game with 16 minutes to go. Welsby kicked through on the last ten from the Cas line and Alex Walmsley won the race to the loose ball to scored to the right of the sticks. Percival converted, 6-18.

Seven minutes later, Walmsley had his second! The big prop broke through multiple tacklers and then fended off another to fall over the try line. Lomax took over kicking duties and converted, 6-24.

Cas thought they had grabbed a second try with five minutes to go. A Saints pass was intercepted in midfield and Bureta Faraimo ran half the length of the field to score in the corner. However, after a video referee review, it showed Faraimo’s arm hit touch before he grounded the ball, 6-24 it remained.

That was to be the final noteworthy action of the game, as Saints kickstarted their Super League defence with a 6-24 victory over Castleford Tigers at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle!

Match Summary

Castleford Tigers Team: Niall Evalds, Jake Mamo, Jordan Turner, Jack Broadbent, Bureta Faraimo, Gareth Widdop, Jacob Miller, George Griffin, Paul McShane, Albert Vete, Kenny Edwards, Alex Mellor, George Lawler.

Interchanges: Adam Milner, Muizz Mustapha, Cain Robb, Liam Watts.

Tries: Jack Broadbent (51)

Conversions: Gareth Widdop (1 from 1)

Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Tee Ritson, Konrad Hurrell, Mark Percival, Jon Bennison, Jonny Lomax, Lewis Dodd, Alex Walmsley, Joey Lussick, Matty Lees, Sione Mata’utia, James Bell, Morgan Knowles.

Interchanges: Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Jake Wingfield, Dan Norman, Sam Royle.

Tries: Jack Welsby (24), Tee Ritson (46), Alex Walmsley (64, 71)

Conversions: Mark Percival (3 from 3), Jonny Lomax (1 from 1)

HT: 0-6

FT: 6-24

Attendance: 10,042

Club Mon 27 Feb 23

Tickets now on sale for Round 2 trip to Castleford Tigers

Saints Line up

1	Jack Welsby
25	Tee Ritson
23	Konrad Hurrell
4	Mark Percival
5	Jonathan Bennison
6	Jonny Lomax
7	Lewis Dodd
8	Alex Walmsley
14	Joey Lussick
10	Matty Lees
11	Sione Mata’utia
15	James Bell
13	Morgan Knowles
15	Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
18	Jake Wingfield
20	Dan Norman
22	Sam Royle

Castleford Tigers Line up

1	Niall Evalds
2	Jake Mamo
3	Jordan Turner
4	Jack Broadbent
5	Bureta Faraimo
6	Gareth Widdop
7	Jacob Miller
8	George Griffin
9	Paul McShane
10	Albert Vete
11	Kenny Edwards
12	Alex Mellor
13	George Lawler
14	Adam Milner
15	Muizz Mustapha
16	Cain Robb
17	Liam Watts

Last updated 26 Feb 23 14:42:59

76'

Sione Mata’utia off, LMS comes on.

🐅 6-24 😇

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75'

Faraimo intercepts a pass and goes 60m and dives in to score in the corner, but his arm is in touch as he grounds the ball.

🐅 6-24 😇

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10,042 in The Mend-A-Hose Jungle this afternoon, a HUGE thank you to the 2,000+ Saints fans who travelled! ♥

🐅 6-24 😇

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72'

Goal

Jonny Lomax for Saints

Lomax is on kicking duties now and slots it over ✌

🐅 6-24 😇

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71'

Try

Alex Walmsley for Saints

💪 OH BIG AL STOP IT! 💪 That man would not be stopped and bulldozed his way to the line from 20m out!

🐅 6-22 😇

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70'

Broadbent makes a great run but again our defence finds a way to stop the Cas men and force an error.

🐅 6-18 😇

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68'

On comes Sam Royle, Mark Percival off.

🐅 6-18 😇

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66'

Goal

Mark Percival for Saints

Percy with his third conversion of the game ✌

🐅 6-18 😇

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65'

Try

Alex Walmsley for Saints

BIG AL! The towering man gets on the end of a Welsby kick to score on his 250th Saints appearance!

🐅 6-16 😇

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63'

Saints are piling the pressure now on the Tigers try line, with some offloads it comes back to Lomax who kicks towards Ritson but Cas have to clear it. St Helens have it 10m out.

🐅 6-12 😇

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61'

Tigers make a break with Evalds, but a brilliant Welsby tackle stops him. On the last Griffin kicks and Saints catch in-goal to stop the threat.

🐅 6-12 😇

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57'

LMS and Wingield off, Walmsley and Knowles on.

🐅 6-12 😇

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55'

Bennison with a great catch off a high ball with the hosts charging at him.

🐅 6-12 😇

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53'

SIONE! Bang! What a hit on Miller!

🐅 6-12 😇

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52'

Goal

Gareth Widdop for Castleford Tigers

Widdop gets the kick from bang in front of the sticks.

🐅 6-12 😇

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51'

Try

Jack Broadbent for Castleford Tigers

The Tigers get their first points of the game through a penalty try, Welsby goes to make a tackle on Broadbent but it’s ruled high and stopped the Cas man from scoring.

50'

HIA interchange, Dan Norman off, Matty Lees comes on in his stead.

🐅 0-12 😇

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47'

Goal

Mark Percival for Saints

Percy adds the kick from out wide! ✌

🐅 0-12 😇

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46'

Try

Tee Ritson for Saints

That is SPECTACULAR! Jonny Lomax fended the world and then cut through the Tigers defence to pass to Tee Ritson on the wing for a debut score!

🐅 0-10 😇

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45'

A calmer start to this half, both sides trading sets well.

🐅 0-6 😇

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Second half is underway in Castleford!

COME ON YOU SAINTS!

🐅 0-6 😇

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The difference-maker at the break.

🐅 0-6 😇

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⏸️ The Saints edge the lead in our season opener at The Mend-A-Hose Jungle, 0-6.

39'

Saints again push for their second try, Welsby this time fires a pass towards Percival but it’s too strong and knocked on.

🐅 0-6 😇

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37'

Saints get the ball back after Tiger fail to kick to touch, Ritson with lightning footwork gets us close. On the last a Dodd bouncing grubber is collected well by Cas to quell the attack.

35'

Saints have Tigers on their own line, as LMS goes to play a quick ball he knocks on – relief for the hosts.

🐅 0-6 😇

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31'

On comes Dan Norman for Matty Lees. Let’s go Big Dan!

🐅 0-6 😇

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30'

Jack Welsby deals with a high bomb well with Tigers chasing it down strongly.

27'

James Bell makes a big line break, he sees Ritson with space so tries a kick but the ball runs out of touch.

🐅 0-6 😇

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25'

Goal

Mark Percival for Saints

Percy adds the two ✌

🐅 0-6 😇

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24'

Try

Jack Welsby for Saints

WELSBY! Jack forces his way to the line right under the sticks!

🐅 0-4 😇

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23'

Knowles off, Wingfield on.

🐅 0-0 😇

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22'

Alex Walmsley comes off, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook comes on.

🐅 0-0 😇

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20'

Morgan Knowles with a massive tackle on Evalds!

🐅 0-0 😇

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Twenty in, no points yet but a real physical battle at The Jungle!

🐅 0-0 😇

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17'

Mamo again has room to run, but Welsby making the tackle on him makes him look to pass and it’s too early for a Tigers teammate.

🐅 0-0 😇

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16'

Welsby tries a little chip and chase, Widdop collects but just gets out of the in-goal area.

🐅 0-0 😇

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14'

Saints with Cas on their own line lose the ball, but immediately firm in defence and look to keep Tigers pinned in their own 40m.

🐅 0-0 😇

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13'

💥 Mark Percival with a big shot and it forces a knock on!

10'

Tee Ritson almost opens the scoring, the winger dives into the corner but after a check with the video ref it is not given.

🐅 0-0 😇

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Saints strip the ball and give Cas a penalty, the hosts push again but Saints keep them out again forcing a wayward pass on the right-edge to go out.

🐅 0-0 😇

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💪 Sensational defence from the Saints on the last, a Widdop kick is taken by Broadbent who just shy of the line he offloads to Mellor but four Saints get round him to stop him.

🐅 0-0 😇

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The Tigers look to go early with Mamo on the wing, he passes in towards Evalds but the fullback knocks on with the try line begging.

🐅 0-0 😇

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Kick Off

KICK-OFF! St Helens Super League 2023 season is underway!

🐅 0-0 😇

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