St Helens' win over Hull Kingston Rovers overshadowed by injuries

Jun 7 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

ST HELENS’ nine-try demolition of Hull Kingston Rovers was overshadowed by injuries to forwards Chris Flannery and Jason Cayless.

Saints destroyed Rovers 52-10 at Knowsley Road – but it came at a cost as Australian second-rower Flannery and Kiwi prop Cayless were forced off in the 12th and 22nd minutes respectively.

Cayless had to be carried off on a stretcher– but Saints coach Daniel Anderson is hoping both injuries are nothing more serious than medial ligament damage.

He said: “It’s pretty serious, because it appears both boys have medial ligament damage.

“Chris Flannery definitely has medial ligament damage, but we’ll have another look at Jason Cayless tomorrow and we hope it’s not cruciate ligament damage.

“We hope they are just medial injuries, but they will both be missing for an extended period.”

The double injury blow marred an otherwise perfect night for St Helens – who put on an exhibition of their trademark, expansive rugby.

Ade Gardner’s clinical hat-trick took his season’s tally to 21, the prolific Cumbrian winger ending some fierce early resistance from the visitors with well-taken first-half scores –- before completing his treble with 10 minutes remaining.

Australian centre Matt Gidley also claimed two first-half tries to sandwich a touchdown from giant Samoan forward Maurie Fa’asavalu.

Sean Long converted each time to put his side 30-0 ahead at the break.

Anderson said: “The injuries were obviously a bit of a downer, but it was a scintillating performance attack-wise.

“There was lots of energy – it was a very bouncy performance with lots of class.

“We looked energetic from the start; we were making half-breaks and we were just creating space constantly.”

Rovers restored some semblance of pride with second-half tries from Mick Vella and Shaun Briscoe but were largely a pale shadow of the side which pushed Saints men so hard in last weekend’s Challenge Cup quarter-final.

Rovers coach Justin Morgan admitted his men were totally outclassed.

“We were very poor all over the park,” he said.

“We were a bit fatigued after last week – but that’s no excuse.

“I thought they (Saints) were good, but we were let down by poor discipline again.”

Anderson was boosted by the return after injury of former GB captain Paul Sculthorpe, influential in Saints’ first-half dominance on only his fourth start of the season.

Anderson added: “He had a couple of nice touches and ‘assists’ for those tries with his passes.

“He had to get through a fair amount of work after Flannery went off, but that’s what you’ve got to do for your team.”

A sixth score was added after the break by the hugely influential Leon Pryce before Gardner claimed his third and Willie Talau and Paul Wellens also got on the scoresheet.

Rovers restored some semblance of pride with second-half tries from Mick Vella and Shaun Briscoe but they were largely a pale shadow of the side that pushed Anderson’s men so hard in last weekend’s Challenge Cup quarter-final.

Saints escaped from Craven Park with a 24-18 success but this was a wholly more comfortable affair for the Merseysiders.

Sculthorpe was the victim of a high tackle from Chev Walker in the fifth minute that went unpunished and set the tone for a niggling and at times overly-physical approach from Morgan’s men, but Saints gradually made their quality tell.

And Rovers forward Clint Newton was placed on report for a high challenge on Cayless after a tackle that saw the Kiwi prop carried off on a stretcher after falling awkwardly.