Show me a true rugby league supporter who says that they don’t love a Saints versus Wigan derby, and I’ll show you a liar. Whether you’re a Warrior or a Saint and hoping that your side will win the most important bragging rights, or a neutral who just likes to see two of the best sides in the game batter one another for the two points.
Wigan won when the two sides met back on Good Friday, but Saints have shown a marked improvement since then and a win today would lift the home side above their arch enemy and into third place in the table, two points behind the league leaders Catalans and Warrington.
Saints have won four on the bounce, while Wigan got thumped last time out against the Catalans Dragons at the Magic Weekend, and as a result the bookies were giving the Red Vee an eight-point handicap on the coupon.
Ian Thornley spilled the ball on the Wigan twenty with two minutes on the clock and three plays into the set Joe Batchelor hit the Warriors line and pace and despite being dragged over the line on his back he managed to get the ball on the ground by his side. Tommy Makinson added the conversion for the perfect start for the home side.
A high tackle from Thornley, thirty from his own line, gifted Makinson an opportunity to extend the lead by two points but he pushed his kick wide of the far upright.
Out of nowhere Wigan were right back in the game as Jai Field chased a pinpoint Harry Smith kick towards to post to collect on the line and dive in by the right upright. Smith added the conversion, and the sides were all tied up despite the traffic being predominantly one way.
Wigan did well to hold Jonny Lomax up over the line on eighteen but when Wigan were penalised for not standing square at the marker, Makinson took the penalty from in front of the sticks but hit the upright, the ball bouncing back into play.
Two minutes later, Makinson made amends for the two missed penalties as he went in down the right-hand side as he found an acre of space with a move from the back of the scrum. Makinson added the conversion from wide for 14-6.
Jack Welsby slipped in defence while trying to collect a Bevan French speculative kick through. French chased his own kick and collected to dive over unopposed. Smith was side with the conversion, neither kicker having a great night.
Two minutes from half time Saints extended their lead when Welsby chased his own kick to regain and ground by the right upright. Makinson added the conversion for an 18-10 half time lead after a half which Saints dominated, and which Wigan hit with a couple of counterattack tries.
Agnatius Paasi further extended the Saints lead with the first points of the second half on forty-seven. A run from James Roby found Lewis Dodd who in turn put a short ball to Paasi to smash through the defensive line and ground. Makinson added the conversion for 24-10.
Saints put the game beyond Wigan on fifty-two, Welsby supporting Dodd to take the pass and swipe away his tackler to score. Makinson added the conversion for a 30-10 lead.
On sixty-two Makinson took a floated pass to coast down the wing and score in the corner without a Wigan hand having been laid on him. Makinson was again wide with the conversion, but the extra points no longer mattered to the outcome.
A late consolation for Abbas Miski was on no consequence to the result but will disappoint Saints coach Paul Wellens. Smith converted from wide for a final score of 34-16.
By their own very high standards, Saints have had a poor start to the season, but as the games have rolled on to the halfway stage, they have shown a game-by-game improvement and todays win saw them go ahead of Wigan in the league table and up to fifth spot, two points behind the four joint leaders and with a game in hand over two of them. Wigan were outplayed for the full eighty, and in the same way that Saints are improving, Wigan seem to have played their best rugby in the opening games and are now on a backward slide.
St Helens: Welsby (2T), Makinson (2T, 5G), Hurrell, Percival, Ritson, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Sironen, Batchelor (T), Knowles. Subs: Mata’utia, Lussick, Paasi (T), Bell. 18th Man: Bennison.
Wigan Warriors: Field (T), Miski (T), Thornley, Wardle, Marshall, French (T), Smith (G), Ellis, O’Neill, Byrne, Shorrocks, Farrell, Smithies. Subs: Cust, Mago, Hill, Singleton. 18th Man: King.
Half-Time: 18-10.
Full-Time: 34-16.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 6-4, 6-6, 10-6, 12-6, 12-10,16-10, 18-10 : HT: 22-10, 24-10, 28-10, 30-10, 34-10, 34-14, 34-16 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: St Helens - Square – St Helens.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
