Super League XVIII Round 10 Review

The Easter Monday round of games produced a fair number of blow outs as the teams with smaller squads struggled to cope with the Easter weekend fixtures.

There were notable away wins for Leeds Rhinos in Perpignan, who ended the Catalan Dragons 100% home record and Hull FC who came from behind to see off Wakefield Wildcats.

As below we have a look at how all the games went:

Bradford Bulls 36
Tries    Bateman, Sammut 2, Purtell, Kearney, Langley
Goals:  Foster 4, Sammut 2

Salford City Reds 24
Tries:   Gaskell, Murphy, Nero, Dixon
Goals:  Sneyd 4

Att:      7,504

Bradford Bulls continued their good form by seeing off Salford City Reds at the Provident Stadium Odsal.

The Bulls came into this one in confident from after snatching a last minute draw at Leeds Rhinos on Thursday night. Likewise, the City Reds were also in buoyant mood with their unlikely home win over high flying Huddersfield Giants.

Bradford started on the front foot and took the lead on eight minutes when John Bateman got on the end of a Jarrod Sammut grubber kick.

Salford got back on terms when Brett Kearney managed to flick the ball straight into the path of the chasing Lee Gaskell, who kicked on and picked up to score. Marc Sneyd added the goal to level things up.

But, the comeback was short lived as the Bulls dominated the rest of the first half to lead 24-6 at the break.  Keith Lulia and Foster combined to get Sammut over for the next home score.

Adrian Purtell crossed with four minutes of the half remaining and then a surging break from ex City Reds prop Adam Sidlow, set up Kearney for the fourth Bradford try of the half.

Salford began the second period well and Jack Murphy scored in the corner and then it was game on as former Bull Chris Nero went in from close range. Sneyd’s third goal made it 24-18.

Jamie Langley settled the host’s nerves by powering over the line with Sammut adding the conversion Salford would not go away and Andrew Dixon charged between the posts to set up an interesting finish.

However, it would be Bradford game as Sammut kicked a 71st minute penalty and then the halfback claimed a late try to finally put the game beyond the City Reds.

Huddersfield Giants 62
Tries:   Murphy 3, Grix 2, Brough, Lunt, Lawrence, George, Cording, McGilvary
Goals:  Brough 9

Widnes Vikings 6
Tries:   Mellor
Goals:  Gilmour

Att:      4,270

Huddersfield Giants got back to winning ways by trouncing Widnes Vikings at the John Smiths Stadium.

After Huddersfield shock loss to Salford on Good Friday, they needed to bounce back and return to their early season form. For Widnes after a great home win over Derby rivals Warrington, Head Coach Dennis Betts made six changes and his inexperienced team were no match for the Giants who effectively wrapped the game up by the interval leading 26-0.

Danny Brough ran the show for the hosts and it was one-way traffic from the 2nd minute as Larne Patrick’ clean break led to Brough getting Aaron Murphy over for the first try of the game.

Full-back Scott Grix and Brough were next on the scoresheet before second rower Michael Lawrence took Shaun Lunt’s pass to score on his first appearance of the season. Murphy then added his second just on the interval.

It got worse for Widnes after the restart when Leroy Cudjoe seized on a dropped pass by Gareth Hock and sent Luke George on an 80-meter run to the line for the hoists sixth try of the afternoon.

Brough carved out further scores for Jamie Cording and Grix as the Giants took their score past fifty points.

There was some consolation for the Vikings as second rower Dave Allen broke clear to get Joe Mellor over the line on 64 minutes, with Tom Gilmore adding then conversion.

However, Huddersfield continued their dominance as Murphy complied his hat-trick and Lunt burrowed his way over from dummy half to complete the hammering.

Hull KR 6
Tries:   Eden
Goals:  Hall

Wigan Warriors 84
Tries:   Charnley, Green 3, Thornley 2, Richards, Hughes, Smith 2, Tuson 2, Powell, Farrell, Tomkins
Goals:  Richards 12

Att:      7,894

Wigan Warriors demolished an under strengthen Hull KR at MS3 Craven Park in one of the most one-sided games in Super League history.

Both these teams came off great Derby wins on Good Friday, but Rovers came off the worst as they had to play without both recognised half-backs Michael Dobson and Travis Burns.

Wigan ruthlessly set about their 15 try destruction by getting things underway on four minutes as England winger Josh Charnley made the most of Kris Welham jumping out of the defensive line to score. Next to enter the try scoring mood was Blake Green, who signed from Rovers at the start of the season.  Sam Tomkins speed then set up Iain Thornley as the Warriors find try scoring very easy.

Pat Richards and Jack Hughes added four pointers before Green made it a double as the lead ballooned out to 30-0. With time running out in the first half a dab thorugh from Craig Hall led to Greg Eden scoring a consolation for the hosts.

In the second period Wigan were ruthless as they added nine further tries and 54 unanswered points to rack up the biggest away win Super League history.

Green then put salt into the hosts wounds by completing his hat-trick after Craig Hall failed to find touch from a rare home penalty in the 42nd minute. Matty Smith helped himself to a quickfire brace and in the final quarter the floodgates opened as the Warriors ran in six more touchdowns.

Tomkins rounded off the scoring in the 78th minute with Richards kicking his 12th goal in a personal haul of 28 points as Wigan cemented the top spot on the ladder.

St Helens 48
Tries: Flanagan, Perry 2, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Greenwood 2, Makinson, Swift, Turner
Goals:  Percival 5, Makinson

Castleford Tigers 18
Tries:   Clark, Carney, Clare
Goals:  Ellis 3

Att:      10,943

St Helens kept Castleford Tigers routed to the bottom of the Super League with a routine win at Langtree Park.

Both sides were looking to get their Easter up and running after suffering Good Friday losses to local rivals Wigan and Wakefield.

Led by makeshift half-back pairing of Jon Wilkin and Paul Wellens, Saints were too good for the Tigers in the first half as they had the match won at the break leading 26-0.

Mark Flanagan crashed over next to the posts for the first try after thirteen minutes. The next score came from an unlikely source in Ex Manly Prop Josh Perry who scored his first try for over two years on his return from injury.

Fellow prop Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook scored try number three as he took a short to score from close range. Joe Greenwood then helped himself to a double just before the interval.

St Helens continued were they left off in the second half as Greenwood scooped up a loose ball and sent Mark Percival clear before Tommy Makinson finished off.

Adam Swift then went over in the corner and with Percival converting for a fifth time the hosts lead ballooned out to 38-0.

To their credit, Castleford did not throw the towel in and responded with two quickfire tries from Daryl Clark and Justin Carney.

Perry made it a double as Saints continued their scoring but with the game won James.

Clare broke through to claim another Tigers consolation. However, Jordan Turner had the final say with the host’s ninth and final try in the closing moments.

Warrington Wolves 54
Tries:   J. Monaghan 2, Williams 2, Bridge 2, Hodgson, Ratchford 2, Currie
Goals:  Hodgson 7

London Broncos 20
Tries:   Dixon 3, Dollapi
Goals:  Witt 2

Att:      9,681

Warrington Wolves got back to their efficient best with a 10-try mauling of London Broncos at then H.J. Stadium.

The Broncos had to give debuts to youngsters James Woodburn-Hall and Erjon Dollapi as they missed several experience players. Warrington were looking for a response after a humiliating loss to Widnes Vikings on Friday but they trailed early on as an interception from Chad Randall inside his own half, saw the hooker put Kieran Dixon over for the opening score.

The Wolves responded with two tries in quick succession with Joel Monaghan beating Liam Colbon to Richie Myler's high bomb for the first and Rhys Williams scoring the other.

Back came the Londoners as good work by Michael Witt enabled Dixon to touch down for his second try of the game.

Unfortunately for the visitors, their good work in the opening quarter was then somewhat undermined as full-back Alex Hurst lost the ball in a tackle five metres from his own line, leaving Chris Bridge with a simple score that Hodgson added the extras to.

Bridge soon claimed another after exchanging passes with Joel Monaghan on the fifth tackle. Just before the interval Dixon gave the Broncos some hope by going over for a first half hat-trick as his team trailed 22-14.

Warrington upped the tempo in the second half and hit the Londoners with thirty two unanswered points. Brett Hodgson grabbed his side's fifth try, followed by his fourth conversion as the visitors began to run out of steam.

Stefan Ratchford went over for a brace before Joel Monaghan, Ben Currie and Williams took the Wolves lead past fifty points in a romping win.

The Broncos at least had the final say as Dollapi marked his debut with a close-range try, converted by Witt on the full time hooter.

Wakefield Wildcats 22
Tries:   Fox, Kirmond, Smith, Collis
Goals:  Sykes 3

Hull FC 34
Tries:   Shaul 2, Crookes 2, Heremaia, Briscoe
Goals:  Tickle 5

Att:      8,126

Hull FC came from behind to get a much needed win over Wakefield Wildcats at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium.

Both these sides had contrasting Good Friday’s as Hull needed a win after losing to City rivals Hull KR and for Wakefield they were looking for two win on the bounce after getting past neighbours Castleford Tigers.

The Wildcats made the best possible start as Peter Fox crossed in the corner, it soon became 10-0 as Ben Cockayne fed second rower Danny Kirmond, who burst clean through to touch down.

Hull started to settle after their poor start and hit back through Jamie Shaul who broke through a packed midfield and sprint half the length of the field for a memorable first try for the club.

Wakefield scrum-half Tim Smith, woeful loose pass was pounced upon by Aaron Heremaia and he offloaded for Ben Crooks to score. Danny Tickle added the extras to both tries to make it 12-10 in Hull’s favour.

Just on half time Paul Sykes kicked a penalty goal to send the teams in level at 12-12. Shaul then edged Hull ahead again after the resumption but Wakefield would not lie down as they punished Joe Westerman ‘ mistake by Richard Mathers sending Lee Smith over.

The game was there to be won and it was the Black and Whites who would score next as Heremaia went through a gap in the hosts defence. Tickle made it four out of four as the East Yorkshire side led 24-16.

Heremaia then set up Crooks to score in the left corner and then Tom Briscoe made sure of a win for the visitors by going over for his sides sixth try.

Dean Collis crossed late on for the Wildcats but this was only a consolation as Hull FC claimed a valuable two points.

Catalan Dragons 12
Tries:   Pryce, Bosc
Goals:  Bosc 2

Leeds Rhinos 27
Tries:   Moon, McShane, Jones-Buchanan
Goals:  Sinfield 7
Drop Goal: Sinfield

Att:      9,465

Twelve men Leeds Rhinos withstood a Catalan Dragons second half comeback to run out impressive winners in Perpignan.

Super League’s only 100% home record was on the line as the Catalan Dragons welcomed the Champions, Leeds Rhinos to the Gilbert Brutus Stadium.

With rain failing in Perpignan for most of the day, the Rhinos adapted better to the wet conditions and took the lead after eight minute when the ball was sent out wide for Stevie Ward to send Joel Moon sliding over the line.

Kevin Sinfield continued his impressive goal-kicking streak with the touchline conversion.

Catalan came close to scoring but could not break down the visitors defence and Sinfield extended the Rhinos' lead further in the 22nd minute with a penalty goal.

Once again the Dragons pressed but could not get any further and a third goal from Sinfield gave Leeds a 10-0 lead at the interval.

As in previous weeks, the French hosts needed to turn around a first half deficit to win the game and they were given a helping hand on 48-minutes as the Rhinos were reduced to twelve men.

Prop Ryan Bailey was given his marching orders for an off the ball challenge on Thomas Bosc. From the resulting penalty Leon Pryce steeped his way over the line with Bosc’s conversion reducing the gap to 10-6.

Know with the upper hand the English Stand-off then set up a Bosc whose outrageous dummy allowed him to score underneath the posts and make his conversion a formality as the hosts led 12-10.

To their credit the Champions showed their metal and hit back when Sinfield levelled the scores on the hour mark with his fourth goal of the night.

This gave Leeds the lift they needed and shortly later Paul McShane dummied his way to the line from two metres out. Sinfield added the extras and a drop goal to give his side a 19-12 lead with ten minutes remaining.

England second rower Jamie Jones-Buchanan put the icing on the cake as he scored underneath the posts two minutes later Sinfield added a further penalty and his seventh goal of the night with five minutes remaining to seal a very food backs-to-the-wall win for the Rhinos.

Super League Ladder after Round 10