Saints in Vikings’ sights as they eye Top 8 finish

WIDNES will be looking to consolidate a Top 8 position in Super League when they visit St Helens tomorrow evening.

The Vikings went close to securing their top-flight status with Sunday’s last-gasp 23-22 win at Leeds but another victory would seal the deal.

Head coach Denis Betts believes a Top 8 finish would be just reward for his charges who have shown commitment to the cause even when things haven’t gone their way.

The victory at Headingley Carnegie Stadium demonstrates, according to Betts, that if you stick to your guns, good things will come your way.

He said: “All we needed was a little bit of luck, the bounce of a ball, a couple of good calls – things that haven’t really gone our way over the last month in the really tight games. I think it shows the character in the team. We’ve not been knocked off track.

“We’ve kept doing the things we practiced and sticking to our philosophies.

“It’s hard to learn to win without putting the process in place and performing well. The processes are pretty strong now.

“There are some errors in us we need to get rid of and some quality in certain parts of the field we need to keep working on.

“But our commitment and enthusiasm to work for each other is very apparent.

“We kicked really well and found the points on the field we wanted to put them into places that made it hard for them to get field position.”

Despite a poor season, the Rhinos had won their two previous matches before taking on the Vikings and needed to secure another two points to keep their own Top 8 hopes alive.

Betts was delighted with the way his men stuck to their task against what he believes is still a very talented side.

He added: “They’ve had a tough year but they had two million pounds worth of talent on the field.

“When I looked at their teamsheet I thought ‘we’re going to have to play well today’.

“With the desperation in their camp and the understanding they had to win, they came hard at us and tackled hard too.

“You could sense there was air of anxiety and that’s what being at that end of the table does to you, no matter what kind of quality or how many internationals you’ve got in your team.

“The anxiety of what’s beneath you can change the way a team functions.

“They were trying to claw their way out of a hole and it got to them in the end.

“We scored some really good tries and created some good opportunities as well.”

Centre Chris Bridge pulled out of the Leeds game with an Achilles problem and won’t be fit for tomorrow’s match either.

Aaron Heremaia also misses out after suffering a head knock against the Rhinos.