AS lessons go on a rugby field, the second half of Friday’s win against Wakefield Trinity is a good one for Saints to keep in mind.
Being tidy around the ruck and having composure and patience with the ball can make all the difference, as was shown in the way 0-0 at half-time became 34-6 so efficiently and ruthlessly.
The Wakefield defence that had seemed so energised and mostly unbreakable wobbled profusely after the break and it was clear from the visitors’ lack of creativity that the two tries in six minutes from Kevin Naiqama and James Bentley had put the game to bed in terms of two points earned.
Kevin Naiqama's opening try. All pictures: SWPix.com
Some of the smart and lovely flowing football that followed was gloss on top, with Fijian flyer Naiqama doubling his tally and leading try scorer Regan Grace rattling up a quickfire double too.
And it was in these circumstances that centre Jack Welsby’s all-round talent came to the fore as he showed why his stock continues to rise and rise beyond his unforgettable 2020 Grand Final winning moment.
But in the first half, Saints had taken a hammering at the hands of referee James Child’s whistle, being 8-3 behind on a high penalty count and eventually losing Bentley to the sin bin.
The effort that had already been thrown into defence now had to go into overdrive but such was the manner in the way each Saint covered for each other they put up a barrier that Wakefield were unable to penetrate.
It would not have helped Trinity’s cause that they lost their captain and most dangerous attacker Jacob Miller early on with medial knee ligament damage.
But on a rare occasion that the visitors got on the outside of 12-man Saints down the right through Lee Kershaw, when the winger looked up he was suddenly boxed in by no less than five covering defenders.
The closest Wakefield got to scoring in the first half was when it was still 13 v 13 and former Newcastle Knights playmaker Mason Lino kicked towards the posts for Chris Green to retrieve and attempt to drop over the line.
But Bentley was in place and stayed strong along with Lachlan Coote and Theo Fages to hold their opponent up.
At the other end, Joel Thompson was held over the line and late in the half Tommy Makinson looked to have made the most of the best handling move so far when he dived in at the corner only for the touch judge to raise his flag stating the winger had crossed the white line.
The Tommy Makinson try that was ruled out. All pictures by SWPix.com
Other opportunities came and went, with tip-on passes not going to hand and the ball being spilled under pressure from an enthusiastic Wakefield defence seeking a first win of the season.
Kristian Woolf told his Saints players at half time to calm things down, and they seemed to have started playing a little more direct through replacement forwards Kyle Amor, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook on his 400th career appearance and the relatively inexperienced Jake Wingfield.
Kyle Amor straightening up Saints against his former club. All pictures by SWPix.com
That certainly benefitted Saints in the second half.
And then the first try came through Welsby’s renowned reputation not to give up on a lost cause.
As Wakefield players waited for Coote’s long kick to trickle into touch, the ball held up, a scramble ensued and Welsby was the one to come up with possession.
The ball was quickly shifted wide right on the next tackle and Naiqama’s agility allowed him to defy three defenders and cross.
After Bentley’s special long-range effort, above, Welsby was quickest to a perfect Jonny Lomax grubber as the game was put out of Wakefield’s reach.
Then Welsby set up tries for Welsh wizard Grace, the first from a grubber kick and the second after breaking from an Agnatius Paasi offload – those efforts sandwiching Naiqama’s second.
Trinity’s consolation score five minutes from time only came after a reshuffle that included young half-back Lewis Dodd stepping off the bench late on for his first ever spell at full back.
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