24 Aug: Coral Challenge Cup Final: St Helens v Warrington Wolves KO 3pm (BBC)

[Rage]

Congratulations to Warrington.  Their victory was thoroughly deserved. Both set of supporters were excellent. Really enjoyed today. 

[Clogiron]

Well done to Wire, played to a plan and executed it to perfection. As for Saints it raises questions about Holbrook, they seemed to be unable to adapt to what the Wire were doing to them, ok he's won a couple of hubcaps but is unlikely to add to that at the Gold Coast, if he survives more than a season which is more than their recent coaches have achieved.

[Rupert Prince]

1 hour ago, Denton Rovers RLFC said:

He gave Saints plenty of leeway, absolutely loads in that second half, from the video I've just watched there's nothing conclusive from that angle.

Never a try.  But if the Warrington player who played the ball and had shaved his legs then their try would have been given!

[Denton Rovers RLFC]

Well done Sheffield, played fantastically to come from behind and very much deserved.

[wilsontown]

Deserved win for Wire, I enjoyed watching that. None of my bets came in though.

[Rupert Prince]

1 hour ago, redjonn said:

yep, was quite a sentence... purposely.

As I say we beg to differ... on TV (sorry I wasn't their) it was a clear try.  Hicks should have gone to the VR, no doubt.

Warringtons chalk off seemed an incorrect call too... but that went to the VR.

As I said earlier... since he did not think it was a try (and I do not think it was a try either), then if he went up to video he would have said "No Try".   Based on the the video there was no evidence to overturn it. Saints player flapped at it, no downward pressure. 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Anyone know where we are? Haven’t arrived at Wembley yet. Holbrook Out. 

[Exiled Wiganer]

First, Saints can be proud of winning the league, it really is a superb achievement, grossly under valued. 

Second, what a wonderful performance by Wire. To win that with so few play makers, was a triumph for desire, passion and fire. I know I am joining a long queue, but Philbin (excellent for a long time now) and Clark were heroic. Fantastic entertainment, with satisfaction that it could be a close game after all, turning into “hello, that’s not in the script”, to “hold on... could they?” to “oh yes, how splendid!!!!” Pleased for them as a great club, with (mostly) great fans. Hats off to their regulars on here - savour it!

[Oxford]

I missed my first CC in a lot of years  but late though it is Well done the Wolves I always always love it when the favourites get beaten except  if it was SRD of course, so I've never had to worry about that one.

[redjonn]

24 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

As I said earlier... since he did not think it was a try (and I do not think it was a try either), then if he went up to video he would have said "No Try".   Based on the the video there was no evidence to overturn it. Saints player flapped at it, no downward pressure. 

again we beg to differ, their was clear evidence...he didn't flap as you say but applied downward pressure, nwhere was it anywhere a flap as I would know a flap.  You could say not enough downward pressure hence not given - but the evidence was clear as I saw it...... but us disagreeing is going nowhere.. the name is on the cup.

 

[redjonn]

10 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

First, Saints can be proud of winning the league, it really is a superb achievement, grossly under valued. 

Second, what a wonderful performance by Wire. To win that with so few play makers, was a triumph for desire, passion and fire. I know I am joining a long queue, but Philbin (excellent for a long time now) and Clark were heroic. Fantastic entertainment, with satisfaction that it could be a close game after all, turning into “hello, that’s not in the script”, to “hold on... could they?” to “oh yes, how splendid!!!!” Pleased for them as a great club, with (mostly) great fans. Hats off to their regulars on here - savour it!

it was a really good performance.. when they went through Wire's teams prior to the kick-off I did think ... yep, really good player each time except for a couple on the bench whom I didn't know enough about... It did leave me scratching my head why so much underdogs... as distinct from not favourites.

[Trojan]

1 hour ago, Just Browny said:

It was a war of attrition and our fitness proved better than Saints'. We had both first-choice halfbacks out and Currie at stand-off. St Helens' "one-out run by a winger" approach in the 2nd half was perhaps more exciting, but we shut it down fairly easily.

You're not wrong

[Hullfan]

Hahahaahaha how big of a bottle job club are saint helens what a poor showing. So happy for Chris hill what a leader and bloke. Best English forward we have head and shoulders above Thompson and Walmsley. Shame they didn't play today would av been good to see. Ohhh wait they did hahahaha up the wire. Never a try either for Knowles knock on all day

[M j M]

Looking forward to this event.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Holbrook Out for me. We were appalling from the first hooter to the last. Sooner he’s not our problem, the better.   

[weloveyouwakefield2]

Sky are now showing highlights of the game...

[Cheshire Setter]

Ryan Reynolds has apparently retweeted the Royal Family’s congratulation tweet to Warrington.

So now we have Stuart Pearce, Chris Evans, Ross Kemp and Ryan Reynolds...   hopefully we’ll get them all attending a match together soon. What a strange couple of beers that would be in the corporate lounge bar.

[DiH68]

5 hours ago, EssexRL said:

I hate to be positive but I’m here with a bunch of broncos fans, around me are batley, Barrow, Fax, Widnes and Wire fans. It’s a really good game of rugby and we’re all enjoying it. Given the cost of London and populations of St Helens and Warrington the attendance is fine. I really can’t think of anything to moan about (other than I couldn’t bring my ruc sac in). 

Well get off this forum then

[THE RED ROOSTER]

Posting as someone who was actually there, well played to Warrington. Sometimes it works out for you if the main man is not there as it makes everyone else put in a shift. Certainly in the first 20 minutes I felt St Helens were an ankle tap away from a clean break but Warrington kept on getting that ankle tap. Yes St Helens had a try that was chalked off without going to the Video Referee (and it was shown in the ground which was a bit naughty) But Warrington defensively were superb.

If I had to have a quibble with Warrington it was letting Ratchford unleash the bomb on the last tackle, it paid off once but certainly in the second half, Ratchford butchered a 5 on 3 opportunity to his right to kick and very rarely did they kick into the sun. St Helens by contrast played the last tackle through the hands which tactically meant Warrngton attacking from deep.

The St Helens performance lacked composure, getting worse as the game dragged on with play becoming ever more frantic and the ball being promoted looking for the miracle offload and posession not respected. Given the strength of the Warrington defence it looked like while Saints had a Plan A there was no Plan B save to try to speed the game up further.

St Helens unquestionably are the club to beat in the regular season but when it comes to he games that matter, with this and last season, the Holbrook era may be defined as the big game bottlers, as certainly if I was a rival club I would always travel in hope to the TWS, seeing as Holbrooks Saints buckle under pressure. St Helens leave Wembley not just without a Cup most expected them to win, but with a big metaphorical gorilla on their back beating its chest. It will take a trophy to get that ape off their back.

 

[absentee thoughtlord]

Outstanding defensive performance from Warrington. Turned up expecting Saints to win by 16+, but after twenty it looked like the St Helens forwards were gassed (and about to spend the next forty in the sun).

On another matter, regrettably my wife and daughter were sat next door to an inebriated Halifax fan who had nailed his colours to the Saints mast. The guy had beer Tourettes. My 11 year old lad thankfully was paying far too much attention to the match to pick up too much, but the language was filthy. The "oh wan$¥ wan$¥ Warrington" thing has surely had its day, especially when primary school age kids are sat alongside you.

Also met a lovely old chap from Leeds who had travelled on his own. A very gracious and knowledgeable fellow who could not have been more different from the 20 something embarrassment to the sport. Hats off also to the Saints fan (slightly tipsy) who congratulated and hugged my son as we walked towards Wembley Park.

 

[Charlie RL]

Absorbing and entertaining match.  

My Wire supporting son was well happy.   

Clark was great. 

Saints error count seemed really high and exceeded by far mistakes of Wire and officials - but contributed to the excitement. 

I'm sure Saints will be looking to correct this performance big time in the Top 5.

[Dave T]

I recall reading here last week how the change to ruck interpretation had ended Clark's career.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Crowd was appalling but nowhere near as bad as served up by Holbrook. Sooner he’s gone, the better. One win in five big games and that was against a part time team. 

[CiderWire]

5 hours ago, Wildcat said:

Jamie Peacock - St Helens to win by 30.

 

Snigger.

My first thought too. The whole panel, all Yorkshire men, tipped Saints by a canter. Ha, the fools I hope they put their wallets where their mouths are down at the bookies.

[Rupert Prince]

2 hours ago, Hullfan said:

Hahahaahaha how big of a bottle job club are saint helens what a poor showing. So happy for Chris hill what a leader and bloke. Best English forward we have head and shoulders above Thompson and Walmsley. Shame they didn't play today would av been good to see. Ohhh wait they did hahahaha up the wire. Never a try either for Knowles knock on all day

Chris Hill and Wire were widely ridiculed after the Catalans game.  They have been playing rubbish for over a month.  A bit different tonight. 

I thought Philbin was rubbish in the Catalans game and lucky not to have been suspended for quite a long time.  But he was just about the only one playing half decently on the run up to the cup final. Today he looked positively sprightly. 

So we have all been belittling Warrington. 

What might call the Saints' death knell will be the claim that the Saints have world class backs.  Did any of them do anything?   Coote is better than say Hardaker?  What has once again come up is that Saints are flat track bullies.