After a break for the Challenge Cup sixth round, Super League resumed with round 15 as sides looked to prepare for Magic Weekend with a positive result but such luck only came for half of the sides.
Hudds Halt Cas Charge
Thursday night saw the round begin with the Yorkshire derby between Castleford and Huddersfield with both eager to bounce back from exiting the Challenge cup to Hull and Leeds a week earlier.
A tight first 20 minutes between the sides was broken by Craig Huby's try against his former club which Danny Brough converted to give the Giants a 6-0 lead before Aaron Murphy added a second try five minutes later which Brough also improved for 12-0. Castleford responded with a try from Jake Webster five minutes before the interval for 12-4 but Ukuma Ta'ai restored the Giants 12 point lead just before the hooter with Brough's conversion resulting in an 18-4 half-time lead.
Ben Roberts and Michael Shenton both crossed for the Tigers either side of the hour mark with Luke Gale converting both efforts for 18-16 but the win was sealed for the Giants six minutes from the end as Eorl Crabtree crossed for a try which when converted by Brough ensured a 24-16 victory.
Wonderful Wire Punish Sorry Salford
Friday night's televised action saw Salford host Warrington with the Wolves keen to extend their good form at the expense of the mixed form Red Devils.
Warrington opened the scoring with an 11th minute try from Ben Currie (Ratchford conv) for 6-0 before Cory Paterson ran in a self-converted try to level at 6-6 on 14 minutes. Gene Ormsby restored the Wolves lead on 18 minutes with Ratchford converting before adding a converted try of his won seven minutes later for 16-6. Salford reduced the gap to four points at the interval with Junior Sau's try and Paterson's conversion for 16-12 at the interval.
Ormsby and Evalds exchanged tries either side of the hour mark with Ratchford and Paterson converting for 22-18 to the Wolves before Brad Dwyer extended the Wolves lead to four ahead of Ratchford's conversion for 28-18. Salford hopes were dashed with eight minutes remaining as Ormsby completed his hat-trick and Ratchford converted for a 34-18 final score.
Hull Joy Despite Saints Defeat
In the second challenge for the Steve Prescott Cup, Hull FC hosted St Helens and despite suffering a narrow loss secured the trophy via a 38-37 aggregate score.
A tight first 20 minutes between the sides was broken by the opening try for Shannon McDonnell for Saints which Tom Makinson converted for 6-0 before Lewis Charnock converted a penalty for 809 on 26 minutes. Leon Pryce cut the gap four minutes before the interval with Marc Sneyd's conversion making it 8-6 into half-time.
Charnock added a second penalty on 45 minutes to put Saints 10-6 ahead before Jordan Abdull levelled for the hosts at 10-10 with Sneyd unable to put them ahead for the first time as he failed to convert. Four minutes later, Makinson sealed a self-converted try for 16-10 and the win was sealed for St Helens in the final minute as Jordan Turner swept over a drop goal for 17-10.
Robins Rue Rhinos Rise
Friday's other action saw table toppers Leeds host Hull KR with the Robins keen to build on last week's Cup win over Wigan while the Rhinos looked to continue their good form.
Stevie Ward opened the scoring for the Rhinos inside five minutes with Kevin Sinfield converting for 6-0 before a rapid brace from Kieran Dixon put the Robins ahead at 8-6 on 14 minutes. However, Leeds were back in front after Mitch Achurch's try three minutes later and with Sinfield converting for 12-8, the Robins' failure to convert looked to be costly.
Ryan Hall extended the lead with a 21st minute try which Sinfield converted for 18-8 but the Robins were able to to cut the gap to six as Ben Cockayne crossed for a try but another failed conversion put them at 18-12. They went into the interval just two points behind as Josh Mantellato scored a try on the hooter but wasted the chance to level the score with a conversion at 18-16.
Brad Singleton improved Leeds' lead just nine minutes into the second half for 22-16 before Ryan Hall's second try and Sinfield's conversion moved the Rhinos clear at 28-16. The Leeds captain added a penalty on 72 minutes before scoring a self-converted try to end the match on 16 points and move to third in the all time point scoring list as Leeds secured a 36-16 triumph.
Devastating Dragons Demolish Wobbling Warriors
Saturday's solitary game saw Catalans host Wigan in a game that will be remembered by both sides but for very different reasons as the Dragons handed the Warriors their worst SL defeat since 2005.
Wigan made the better start as Josh Charnley scored his first try since coming back from injury and Matty Smith converted for 6-0 but from there it all went wrong for the Warriors. Catalans struck three tries in fifteen minutes as Fouad Yaha, Tony Gigot and Zeb Taia all crossed with Scott Dureau converting two from three attempts for 16-6.
Dan Sarginson responded for Wigan on the half hour mark for 16-10, Catalans struck in style as Taia and Gigot registered their second tries with Dureau converting both before adding another conversion after Yaha's second effort on the hooter for a 34-10 half-time lead.
Joe Burgess cut the gap for Wigan just four minutes into the second half with Smith converting for 34-16 but the effort was cancelled out within five minutes as Michael Oldfield crossed for the Dragons with Dureau improving the lead to 40-16. Any slim hopes of a Warriors comeback washed away as Catalans ran in three tries in ten minutes as Taia and Gigot completed their hat-tricks either side of an effort for Morgan Escaré.
Dureau continued his near perfect run with the boot by converting all three for a total of nine successes from ten and an 18 point personal haul as the Dragons routed the Warriors with a 58-16 win.
Valiant Vikings Extend Wildcats Woes
The round came to an end with Sunday's game between Wakefield and Widnes with the Wildcats desperate to end their woeful league form while the Vikings looked to continue their rise away from the bottom of the table.
Rhys Hanbury opened the scoring for the Vikings inside five minutes for 4-0 before a six minute brace from Stefan Marsh opened up a 12-0 lead with Jack Owens adding a further effort on 25 minutes which Lloyd White converted for 18-0. Wakefield prevented a first half blank with a last-gasp try from Tom Johnstone which Jacob Miller converted for 18-6 going into the interval.
White scored a self-converted try nine minutes into the second half to put Widnes in control at 24-6 before Marsh completed his hat-trick on the hour with White's conversion moving the lead to 30-6. Wakefield responded with a try from Matt Ryan on 65 minutes which Miller converted for 30-12 to give the Wildcats hope and they added a further score eight minutes from the end through Dean Collis which Miller converted for 30-18 but it proved to be in vain as Widnes held on for the win.
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