Defence holds key to Giants making an impact says Mamo

ST Helens forward Morgan Knowles has been given a four-match ban after being found guilty of a dangerous throw.

The Wales international was sent off for the tackle on Thibaut Margalet during Saints’ 21-12 Betfred Super League win over Catalans Dragons in Perpignan and charged with a grade E offence.

Knowles faced a ban of between four and eight matches and received the lower end of the tariff, in addition to a £500 fine.

His suspension will begin when St Helens play Huddersfield Giants at the John Smith’s Stadium on Friday, February 23.

Catalans failed in their bid to overturn a one-match ban handed to second rower Benjamin Jullien, so he will sit out their game at Hull KR. ■■Five-time winners Bradford will face West Wales Raiders in the third round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.

The Bulls, who now play in the third tier of the professional game, will have home advantage against their Betfred League 1 rivals on the weekend of February 24-25.

It is one of four ties featuring all-League 1 clubs, who enter at the third-round stage, with Super League sides coming in during rounds five and six.

Three amateur sides are guaranteed to be in the hat for the next round, with Pilkington Recs drawn against Millom, Kells taking on the British Army and Batley Boys going to Normanton Knights.

Hunslet Club Parkside v Workington, Bradford v West Wales, North Wales v Keighley, Coventry v Distington, Hemel v Newcastle Thunder, Doncaster v Myton Warriors, Pilkington Recs v Millom, Kells v British Army, Normanton v Batley Boys, Whitehaven v London Skolars, Askam v York, Oldham v Featherstone Lions, Hunslet v Oulton Raiders.