Grand masters
Saints eye Wigan’s record after fourth straight title
ST HELENS 24 LEEDS RHINOS 12
GRINNING from ear to ear and clutching four bottles of beer, Jack We l s b y showed the same kind of desire in his post-match interview as he had in helping St Helens to their fourth successive title.
The supremely talented 21-year- old was pivotal in a convincing win which confirmed Saints as the greatest team of the Super League era and one of the finest in the sport’s 127-year history.
It came four days after Welsby was crowned the Super League Young Player of the Year and continued a remarkable rise which shows no signs of slowing. Good week, Jack?
‘This is something you dream of,’ said the half-back, a certainty for England’s squad for next month’s World Cup. ‘ We’re a pretty special bunch and it’s hard to argue with us now.
‘I’ve really enjoyed it but I can’t say I’m shocked because we believe in ourselves and that’s the main thing.
‘There was never a point in the game when I thought we were really under the pump or in trouble. To do what we have done is brilliant.’
Silencing the snipers who doubted them has been an added source of motivation.
‘Obviously we’ve had a couple of defeats here and there, which is unusual for us,’ said Welsby. ‘But if we’re worrying about a couple of defeats and saying that Saints aren’t the same team then write us off at your peril. That suited us, though, because we’ve gone “Stuff you, we’re going to show you what sort of team we are”. We’ve won four Grand Finals in a row and there is a reason for that.’
Saints will now set their sights on Wigan’s pre- Super League record of seven successive title triumphs from 1990 to 1996.
Welsby declared: ‘There are a lot of improvements in us and I don’t see why we can’t win another one. We’ve got that mentality within our group — if we can do four, why can’t we do five?’
Morgan Knowles, who controversially won an appeal against a two-match ban which enabled him to play, was jeered throughout by the Leeds fans in the 60,783 Old Trafford crowd.
But the England forward, sporting several cuts and bruises to his face, insisted: ‘ I’m happy to be the villain. All the booing doesn’t affect me. If anything it only drives me to want to do better.’
With Welsby dovetailing superbly throughout with Harry Sunderland Trophy winner Jonny Lomax, who could miss the World Cup with a biceps injury, Saints were too good for Leeds.
Tries from Matty Lees and Jon Bennison put them 12-0 up before the Rhinos responded through Kruise Leeming.
Further scores from Konrad Hurrell and Mark Percival sealed the win before Rhyse Martin’s consolation effort.
Head coach Kristian Woolf is heading back to Australia and is expected to be replaced by assistant and club legend Paul Wellens.
Winger Regan Grace is also leaving to join French outfit Racing 92 but the champions will have a largely unchanged squad next season.