Amy Hardcastle stars on St Helens return as Warrington Wolves concede century

ST HELENS 102 WARRINGTON WOLVES 0
LORRAINE MARSDEN, Totally Wicked Stadium, Saturday

ST HELENS got the defence of their Challenge Cup title underway with an emphatic display over a Warrington side who look like they will have a hard time in 2025.

Returning favourite Amy Hardcastle led the way with four of Saints’ 18 tries as she marked her second debut in the ‘Red Vee’ in style.

There was also hat-tricks for Katie Mottershead and Georgia Sutherland as Saints hit three-figures in a display that proves why many fancy them to make it five cup successes in a row.

Hardcastle and Shona Hoyle made their returns to the Saints side following their off-season moves from Leeds, while third Rhinos recruit Caitlin Casey switched from her more familiar role in the halves to make her debut at hooker.

Saints dominated from the start, and despite the opening seven minutes remaining scoreless, as soon as Hoyle ran onto a short pass from Zoe Harris to cross close to the posts, followed minutes later by Faye Gaskin racing in under the posts, Warrington perhaps got the feeling they were in for a hard afternoon.

Phoebe Hook added a third within the opening quarter of an hour and Saints were 16-0 up in as many minutes.

As the half progressed Saints scored on virtually every attack with Hardcastle and Jodie Cunningham adding further scores before Warrington even touched the ball again.

After ten minutes of respite for the visitors, Saints were in again as Hardcastle forced her way through the Wolves defence to bulldoze her way to the line for her second.

With Warrington struggling to get out of their own half on the rare occasions they had possession it was inevitable that more Saints tries would come, and Hardcastle added her final two alongside a second from Hook in the final ten minutes of the half to bring up the half-century.

Warrington had almost as much possession in the opening five minutes of the second half as the did in the whole of the first 40, with Emily Downs going closest to getting the on the scoresheet, but Saints soon re-found their groove with Mottershead spotting a gap to race over to increase their lead.

A great break by Rachael Woosey led to Sutherland stretching out for Saints eleventh try of the afternoon, before Zoe Harris and Casey both showed neat footwork to cross in a quick-fire double.

The final 20 minutes saw a great solo try from Dani McGifford, two more touchdowns for Sutherland either side of a breakaway second for Mottershead.

Saints hit the century mark as Motteshead broke once again, this time from within her own half, to complete her second-half hat-trick five minutes from time.

With Gaskin off the pitch following twelve successful conversions, Zoe Harris took over the kicking duties to add the final conversions.

GAMESTAR: How could it not be the four-try performance from Amy Hardcastle?

GAMEBREAKER: For tries in an eight-minute spell early in the first half set the tone for the whole game.

MATCHFACTS
SAINTS
1 Beri Salihi
2 Phoebe Hook
18 Rachael Woosey
4 Amy Hardcastle
25 Dani McGifford
7 Faye Gaskin
6 Zoe Harris
10 Chantelle Crowl
17 Caitlin Casey
16 Darcy Stott
11 Shona Hoyle
12 Emily Rudge
13 Jodie Cunningham
Subs (all used)
9 Katie Mottershead
15 Georgia Sutherland
20 Erin McDonald
23 Luci McColm

Tries: Hoyle (7), Gaskin (9), Hook (12, 39), Hardcastle (15, 27, 34, 37), Cunningham (17), Mottershead (47, 71, 75), Sutherland (54, 65, 73), Harris (58), Casey (60), McGifford (63)
Goals: Gaskin 12/15; Harris 3/3

WOLVES
5 Sydney Alderman-Smith
2 Kerrie Evans
4 Hannah Goddard
15 Helena Turner
30 Libby Hadfield
1 Hollie Gregory
7 Emma Knowles
8 Arabella Reed
14 Abbie Singleton
20 Charlotte Nixon
23 Jess Panayiotou
3 Olivia Argent
11 Emily Downs
Subs (all used)
8 Ellie Dooney
17 Albany-D Coates
22 Chelsea Newton
26 Olivia Hill