Super League: St Helens 40-10 Wigan Warriors - Saints into Grand Final

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Zeb Taia celebrates
Zeb Taia scored St Helens' fifth try in their semi-final win over Wigan
Betfred Super League play-off semi-final
St Helens (26) 40
Tries: Fages, Naiqama, Thompson, Lomax, Taia, Percival 2 Goals: Coote 6
Wigan Warriors (6) 10
Tries: Marshall, French Goal: Hardaker

St Helens reached their first Super League Grand Final since 2014 by thrashing reigning champions Wigan.

Saints were irresistible in the first half and led 26-6 with tries from Theo Fages, Kevin Naiqama, Luke Thompson and Jonny Lomax.

Zeb Taia's score and a Mark Percival double extended the lead to send Saints to Old Trafford on 12 October.

Wigan will get another chance to reach the Grand Final when they host Salford in the second semi-final on 4 October.

Runaway League Leaders' Shield winners Saints finished the regular season 16 points ahead of the second-placed Warriors and won all three of the previous meetings between the sides this term.

And although Wigan welcomed back prop Oliver Partington from a one-game ban and vastly experienced back-row Sean O'Loughlin for his 450th appearance for the club, they proved no match for rampant Saints.

Justin Holbrook's side, beaten by Warrington in the semi-finals 12 months ago, played with tempo and raced into a 12-0 lead within 10 minutes.

Fages touched down after latching on to Lachlan Coote's reverse grubber kick before Naiqama intercepted George Williams' pass inside own half to race away and score.

Coote extended the lead with a penalty before Wigan scored against the run of play when Liam Marshall raced clear to go over from Chris Hankinson's pass.

But Saints added two more tries before the break as first Thompson and then Lomax charged over from close range.

Wigan needed to score first after half-time to stand any chance and those hopes were soon extinguished when Coote put Taia over from close range.

Percival added the gloss to an impressive Saints display when he first took Lomax's looped pass to dive over in the corner and then stepped past a covering defender to add his second.

Bevan French went over for Wigan late on but that was scant consolation as Saints celebrated on the final hooter.

Justin Holbrook told BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra:

"We played brilliantly in that first half and we've come away with a good win in the end.

"I do know the two weeks we've had preparing for this is as good as I've ever had. The boys and I were clear about what we needed to do tonight.

"It's one thing saying it, you've got to be able to do it and we've done that tonight - but we've got to do it again."

Wigan coach Adrian Lam told BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra:

"We knew we had to come here and start really well and stay in the game as long as possible before we turned it up a bit.

"We missed a jump at the start, Saints came out at 100mph, which we anticipated, but they were too fast, too strong and defended tougher.

"We got zapped of energy early on and they rolled through the middle of us. If it was going to happen then rather this week than in two weeks.

"We have to pick ourselves up, focus on next week against Salford and get the job done."

St Helens: Coote, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Fages, Walmsley, Roby, Thompson, Taia, Peyroux, Knowles.

Interchanges: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Amor, Ashworth, Smith

Wigan Warriors: Hardaker, Marshall, Hankinson, Gildart, Burgess, Williams, Leuluai, Clubb, Powell, Partington, Isa, Farrell, O'Loughlin.

Interchanges: Byrne, Flower, French, Smithies.

Ref: Chris Kendall (RFL).

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101 comments

  • Comment posted by AndSleep, at 01:22 28 Sep 2019

    Not a RL aficionado. More of a Union man myself but have seen Saints play a couple of times this season and they look a really dominant outfit. Hate all the inter-code sniping as I think folk should be able to appreciate both games. Be nice to see league given more exposure as a lot of the players seem to have at least as much ability as their more vaunted Union counterparts.

  • Comment posted by Leaguefan, at 23:54 27 Sep 2019

    On that performance, Saints would compete well in the NRL in Australia. It’s not that Wigan were poor, they were controlled by Saints and just lacked the nounce to adapt quickly.

  • Comment posted by Phil_, at 00:33 28 Sep 2019

    Sheesh. Upsets can happen, as in the Challenge Cup final, but I think St Helens have taken that as a kick up the bottom. They look unstoppable now.

  • Comment posted by RayCee, at 01:14 28 Sep 2019

    Saints deserve to win the GF as they have been the best team over the season.

    I also hope Salford join them in the final as they have had an amazing season on a more limited budget.

  • Comment posted by Braddy, at 00:40 28 Sep 2019

    Wigan will probably beat Salford (again) their home form is excellent, but I hope they lose.

  • Comment posted by Chris Harkus, at 01:13 28 Sep 2019

    Now that Cas are out, I hope that Saints win it. They've finished miles above and been miles better than everyone else. Played some great stuff. (and Cas wouldn't have made the play offs if Saints hadn't won at Hull last game, which they certainly didn't need to!)

  • Comment posted by Ronky, at 01:02 28 Sep 2019

    Most seasons I feel an injustice where the table topper doesn't win the Grand Final and that's when teams come top by just a few points but given Saints' clear superiority in the league they fully deserve to win it in a fortnight.

  • Comment posted by Davros, at 01:59 28 Sep 2019

    And that, my friends, is a thrashing!!!

    Saints are red hot.

  • Comment posted by Archibald90, at 00:10 28 Sep 2019

    Sorry Ditto. Rugby League is the only Rugby worth watching. Well done Saints just brilliant

  • Comment posted by Seven bells, at 02:06 28 Sep 2019

    Three stunning games of League in the last week..Wigan-Salford, Salford-Cas and now Saints-Wigan.
    Hoping Salford make it through to the GF...will be a monster of an event and unpredictable unlike if Wigan somehow claw themselves back to Old Trafford. That wouldn't be worth watching after seeing tonights game which was too one-sided to be a real contest and more an exhibition of Saints talent.

  • Comment posted by Dave, at 00:47 28 Sep 2019

    Get in Saints. Surely that grand final win is ours! U never know but the cream as risen surely.

  • Comment posted by burning rubber - not like that, at 06:39 28 Sep 2019

    Anyone saying Wigan were poor, rubbish! Saints were just immense. Even all of Wigan's cheating tactics couldn't help them. Constant slowing down the play the ball and wrapping the ball carrier around the neck at every tackle. Hope Salford thrash them too!

  • Comment posted by briblogg, at 12:15 28 Sep 2019

    Saints battered my team Wigan last night.

    Saints looked fresh, full of energy, strong and in control.

    In comparison Wigan looked slow, disjointed, tired & were very sloppy whenever they actually had a chance to attack. Wigan have been like this all season but have scrapped out unconvincing wins against similar teams

    Well done Saints - well deserved & by far the best team all season

  • Comment posted by Wake, at 08:55 28 Sep 2019

    I'm a Wigan fan, but hats off to Saint Helens they have been fantastic this season and deserve to be in the final

  • Comment posted by TonyR, at 10:01 28 Sep 2019

    I'm a Cas fan and I'm happy to see Saints get to the final. Last season you'd have thought Ben Barba was the only player in the side with all the publicity he was given, nice to see they managed without him thanks very much.Would like Salford to reach the final.Not a Wigan hater, but thought they were excellent against us in the last round.

  • Comment posted by U17745878, at 09:57 28 Sep 2019

    Saints unbeatable last night, did nothing wrong and Wigan had no answer. Always feel Saints have a poor game in them though, we've seen a couple recently.

    I'm not a Wigan fan bit I still think they'll be in the final and wouldn't be surprised if they win it.

  • Comment posted by Jaggy Man, at 08:33 28 Sep 2019

    Well done Saints, absolutely bullied Wigan up the middle. Let's see if they can do it on the big day!

  • Comment posted by Treizeiste60, at 06:21 28 Sep 2019

    22. @asb

    "St Helens and Toronto won their respective leagues so it is really stupid that they are not both champions"

    AGREED. Nothing wrong with a top 5 competition at end of season. It's a RL tradition. Used to be called the Premiership. Top 5 is better than the old top 4. But the Chamionship it isn't. Saints are Champions AGAIN! (Says this Leeds supporter -credit where it's due.)

  • Comment posted by MikeyS1981, at 06:14 28 Sep 2019

    Exceptional performance by Saints. Blew Wigan right off the park. Thompson (and Knowles) were immense.

  • Comment posted by Foxhead, at 09:15 28 Sep 2019

    Superb display last night by Saints. They also won easily without using Makinson or Grace! Wigan will have a tough job beating Salford but that should be a cracking game.

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