LEAGUEWoolf: I’m still hungry

SERIAL WINNER DEMANDS EVEN MORE

Catalans 20 St Helens 36

STEVE BRADY

BY

SAINTS coach Kristian Woolf believes the best is yet to come from his side following a precise and powerful victory in Perpignan.

Challenge Cup holders St Helens moved into the semi-finals after a convincing victory but Woolf wants even more.

He said: “The last couple of times we’ve come over here we haven’t been great but we were much better today.

“But I’ve just told the team we’ve got a lot more in us. We were a bit nervous early on but, once we settled down to being us, we were well on top.

“We’ve another big game ahead of us with

Wigan this week and that’s what gets the players excited. We all know what the Easter derby means and the players are all chomping at the bit,” added

Woolf (above, inset).

“The good news is that there doesn’t seem to be any injury concerns or issues from this game against Catalans, so we’ll be up and ready for Wigan on Friday for sure.”

The Dragons lost star full-back Sam Tomkins early in the game and his replacement Arthur Mourgue could not inspire Catalans to recover from a 20-10 halftime deficit. Catalans were first to cross the line when winger Fouad Yaha continued his tryscoring streak with a

touchdown in the left

corner. Saints struck back immediately. Will Hopoate stretched the Dragons on the right and a simple pass inside to supporting full-back Jack Welsby put the visitors back in front at 8-4 with Tommy Makinson’s conversion.

Then Welsby turned provider for scrum-half Lewis Dodd (celebrating, left) as St Helens tore through Catalans with ease for a 29th-minute try, with Makinson’s conversion pushing them 10 points ahead.

Mark Percival punched through some paper-light defence on the left to score Saints’ third try in five minutes, Makinson adding his fourth successful conversion for 20-4.

The game took a turn when Catalans’ Tomkins had to leave the field injured. Then Curtis Sironen was sin-binned for a high shot on Dragons’ captain Ben Garcia and Catalans responded immediately with a try for prop forward Gil Dudson.

Saints struck first in the second half with a short-range strike by Morgan Knowles from dummy-half, Makinson skilfully negotiating a strong wind to land the conversion from wide.

But Yaha scorched in for his second try of the game in the 57th minute after a period of pressure from the Dragons and Mourgue’s touchline conversion put the match back in the balance with 10 points between the teams.

Saints resumed their authority as prop Alex Walmsley created space for Knowles to step easily between the posts and score.

And Jonny Lomax put Joe Batchelor over the line with just 10 minutes remaining and despite a late Tom Davies try, it was too little too late.

Catalans coach Steve McNamara was “really disappointed” and said: “We conceded some soft tries and it was horrible as a coach to see it.” CATALANS: Tries: Yaha 2, Dudson, Davies Con: Mourgue

ST HELENS: Tries: Welsby, Dodd, Percival, Knowles, Norman, Batchelor

Con: Makinson 5, Pen: Makinson