THERE were five Super League fixtures that took place tonight following the international break.
Here are the results and a short round-up:
Catalans Dragons vs St Helens
Catalans were all over St Helens early on with the visitors dropping the ball twice in the opening six minutes but Saints’ defence stood resolute. And with their first attack, Saints crashed over through Alex Walmsley. Tommy Makinson converted for a 6-0 lead.
With Saints recovering from early errors, Jack Welsby rounded Arthur Mourgue after taking a Konrad Hurrell offload to double the visitors’ lead as Makinson converted to make it 12-0 after 22 minutes.
Catalans were able to hit back just before the half-hour, however, Arthur Mourgue racing away from halfway after stepping past Welsby to canter under the posts. Adam Keighran converted to make it 12-6.
Debutant Matt Ikuvalu was able to crash over as the clock wound down to half-time following a Konrad Hurrell yellow card for dissent. Keighran converted to level the scores at 12-12.
Half-time: 12-12
Keighran kept the scoreboard ticking over at the start of the second-half with a penalty before Tom Davies finished brilliantly in the corner on 50 minutes. The Catalans centre converted with aplomb from out wide to make it 20-12.
Davies dotted down his second from a Sam Tomkins pinpoint kick but Keighran couldn’t convert as the Dragons led 24-12.
Catalans held on for a priceless two points.
Full-time: 24-12
Leeds Rhinos vs Salford Red Devils
Blake Austin was sinbinned on 18 minutes for an obstruction as Salford hit first through Rhys Williams. Marc Sneyd converted to make it 6-0.
The Red Devils stunned the Headingley crowd with a second try shortly after, Sam Stone taking a short ball close to the Leeds line. Sneyd added the extras for a 12-0 lead.
Finally, the Rhinos crowd had something to shout about on the hooter when Richie Myler sprinted over after sustained pressure. Rhyse Martin converted to reduce the deficit to six at half-time.
Half-time: 6-12
Sneyd added a penalty just after the break to extend Salford’s lead to eight at 14-6.
The Red Devils were having the time of their life on the Headingley turf with Brodie Croft’s inch-perfect grubber pounced on by Ellis Longstaff. Sneyd again was on target to make it 20-6 with a quarter of the game left.
Salford kept the scoreboard ticking over with another Sneyd penalty for a 22-6 lead, but Leeds did reply when James Bentley grounded a loose ball with 13 minutes to go. Martin converted to bring the Rhinos back to within ten at 22-12.
Full-time: 12-22
Leigh Leopards vs Castleford Tigers
It was the visitors who crossed first through Joe Westerman with the Castleford loose-forward able to hold off three defenders to barge over. Gareth Widdop converted to make it 6-0 after 15 minutes.
Ben Reynolds responded for Leigh moments later with the halfback himself converting to level proceedings at the midway point in the first-half.
Half-time: 6-6
It was Leigh that drew first blood in the second-half through Kai O’Donnell with the forward powering his way over. Reynolds converted to make it 12-6.
Ava Seumanufagai made it two tries in four minutes for the Leopards as Reynolds was once more on target for an 18-6 lead.
Leigh’s dominance continued as a lacklustre Castleford epitomised their lowly position in the Super League table with paper-thin defence as Ricky Leutele crossed just after the hour. Reynolds again converted to make it 24-6.
The Tigers simply capitulated as Matt Davis got in on the act on 76 minutes with Reynolds perfect with the boot at 30-6.
Full-time: 30-6
Hull KR vs Huddersfield Giants
Ryan Hall set the scoreline ticking over the 13th minute for Hull KR, grounding a lovely little Jez Litten grubber before the hulking winger grabbed his second after Rowan Milnes slotted a penalty following a missed first conversion. Milnes did, however, convert Hall’s second try to make it 12-0.
Milnes added another penalty shortly before half-time as Rovers led 14-0 at the break.
Half-time: 14-0
Huddersfield’s woes continued after half-time with James Batchelor scoring just four minutes in. Milnes converted for a 20-0 lead as the Giants simply had no reply.
It was yet another Hull KR try with ten minutes to go with Tom Opacic this time crashing over, but Milnes this time couldn’t convert as Rovers led 24-0.
Batchelor rubbed salt into Huddersfield’s wounds shortly before the end from another Milnes grubber with the halfback failing to add the extras once more.
Full-time: 28-0
Warrington Wolves vs Wakefield Trinity
Warrington’s Josh Thewlis broke the deadlock in the eighth minute, weaving his way through the Wakefield defence. Stefan Ratchford converted for a 6-0 lead.
Thewlis added another three minutes later with Ratchford making it 12-0 with the boot.
However, credit to Wakefield, they hit back against the odds with a fine individual Morgan Smith try. Will Dagger converted to bring Trinity back to within six at 12-6.
Again, though, Trinity were in a mood to spoil the Warrington party and Kelepi Tanginoa took a lovely Mason Lino pass to crash through. Dagger levelled with the boot at 12-12.
Half-time: 12-12
Wakefield were gunning for an upset, but Kevin Proctor was red carded for a dangerous tackle on Thewlis at the start of the second-half. Ratchford slotted over the penalty goal for a 14-12 lead.
The Wolves continued to punish their opponents with Matty Ashton diving in at the corner with Ratchford converting to make it 20-12.
Thewlis almost had a hat-trick but the pass from Matty Nicholson was judged to have been forward, but Warrington did finally get their fifth try on 72 minutes through George Williams, improved by Ratchford.
Wakefield did grab a consolation as the clock wound down through Matty Ashurst as Dagger converted but Ashton rounded things off with another effort as Ratchford converted for a 32-18 win.
Full-time: 32-18
