2019 Super League Round Seven Review

Round seven began with Warrington Wolves just about holding on to secure a 34-32 in at Wakefield Trinity on Thursday night. A rapid start from the Wolves saw Toby King, Josh Charnley and Chris Hill cross with Stefan Ratchford converting the lot for an 18-0 lead inside 12 minutes. Trinity replied through Ryan Hampshire with Danny Brough kicking for 18-6 before a Blake Austin try and Ratchford conversion on the half hour made it 24-6. Ratchford was successful with the boot again either side of the interval with penalty goals making it 28-6.

Wakefield ended the Wolves spree with David Fifita's try (Brough conv) for 28-12 before a second Charnley score (Ratchford conv) put the Wire 34-12 up. Trinity staged a huge fightback with a two minute Kyle Wood brace followed by two late scores from Max Jowitt and Joe Arundel, two conversions from four attempts for Brough would prove costly as the final miss denied them the  chance to force Golden Point and ensured a narrow Warrington victory.

Friday's televised action saw St Helens maintain their 100% record with a comfortable 42-12 win at Castleford Tigers. An early self-converted try and penalty goal from Lachlan Coote got Saints up and running before Regan Grace and Dom Peyroux went over for scores which saw Coote convert the latter for 18-0, a lead that lasted into the interval. Zeb Taia resumed the scoring three minutes after the restart with Coote converting for 24-0 ahead of two scores in five minutes from Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Mark Percival for 32-0.

The Tigers finally got on the board on the hour through Michael Shenton's try which Jordan Rankin converted for 32-6. Saints resumed their control with a second Peyroux score and Jonny Lomax try (Coote conv) for 42-6 but the final say went to the hosts as Jake Trueman crossed in the final minute with Rankin kicking for 42-12.

Huddersfield Giants moved off the bottom of the table with a 42-8 rout of Hull Kingston Rovers. The sides exchanged penalty goals early on with Ryan Shaw and Lee Gaskell kicking for 2-2. Kruise Leeming put the Giants ahead on 14 minutes with Gaskell's conv making it 8-2 ahead of tries from Oliver Roberts and Darnell McIntosh with Gaskell kicking for a 20-2 advantage.

A second Leeming effort just after the interval was followed by Jermaine McGillvary's four minute brace and with Gaskell converting twice, the Giants led 36-2. Rovers ended the Giants spree with a Weller Hauraki try which Shaw converted for 36-8 but the final say went to the Giants as Suaia Matagi touched won five minutes from the end with Gaskell his seventh successful conversion of the evening.

After slipping to the bottom after Huddersfield's win, Leeds Rhinos remain there after a narrow 26-22 loss at Catalans Dragons on Saturday.

The Rhinos raced into a 12-0 lead with an Ash Handley brace which saw Liam Sutcliffe converting twice before Fouad Yaha cut the gap for the Dragons with Sam Tomkins converting for 12-6. Konrad Hurrell crossed for the Rhinos before a second Yaha try and Lucas Albert score saw Tomkins convert the latter to draw the Dragons level at 16 all.

Handley and Yaha completed hat-tricks before the hour with the Dragons going 22-20 after Tomkins' conversion but a penalty goal eight minutes later from Sutcliffe saw the Rhinos level at 22 all. The Dragons sealed the win with just eight minutes left as Yaha completed a quadruple of tries at 26-22.

In attendance on Sunday at the AJ Bell Stadium as Wigan Warriors ended their losing run with a 30-22 win over Salford Red Devils.

The hosts led 6-0 after Josh Jones' fourth minute try and Ed Chamberlain's penalty goal inside ten minutes. Wigan fought back superbly with George Williams, Tommy Leuluai and Joe Greenwood all crossing in the space of eight minutes coupled with Zak Hardaker converting the trio for 18-6. Salford rallied deep in the half, Derrell Olpherts and Niall Evalds easing through the Warriors line with Chamberlain converting the latter for 18-16 into the interval.

Salford regained the lead within two minutes of the restart, Adam Walker crossing for a debut try to make it 22-18. The Warriors turned the game around either side of the hour as Williams twice raced clear to complete his hat-trick and with Hardaker kicking for a 10-point haul, Wigan sealed their first away win in 2019.

The round closed with Hull FC edging a 28-24 win at London Broncos. FC struck inside four minutes through Josh Griffin for 4-0 before Elliot Kear crossed for London with Kieran Dixon kicking for a 6-4 lead. A second Griffin score saw Marc Sneyd convert to put FC 12-6 ahead but again London hit back with Eloi Pelissier crossing and Dixon converting before adding a penalty goal late in the half for 14-10.

A rapid response from FC saw Carlos Tuimavave and Jordan Thompson cross within eight minutes of the restart with Sneyd converting just the first effort for a 20-14 lead. Albert Kelly and Bureta Faraimo extended the lead either side of the hour mark to 28-14 before London staged a fightback similar to their recent win at Leeds. Jordan Abdull and Rhys Williams touched down with Dixon converting just once as the Broncos closed the final gap to four at 28-24.

2019 Super League Round Six Review

Round six began with St Helens maintaining their perfect start with a 40-12 win at Huddersfield Giants on Thursday night.

Saints opened the scoring through Luke Thompson inside four minutes with Lachlan Coote converting for 6-0 before Hudds levelled on 15 minutes with Jermaine McGillvary's try which Lee Gaskell converted. Saints went ahead again as Morgan Knowles (Coote conv) went over but an instant reply from the hosts saw Ex-Saint Jordan Turner touch down, Gaskell kicking for 12 all. The sides looked to be heading into the interval level but Saints had other ideas with a late score from Mark Percival (Coote conv) for 18-12 into half-time.

Percival struck again before Regan Grace and Dom Peyroux both crossed after the hour mark with Coote adding two conversions and a penalty goal for 34-12. The rout was complete on 75 minutes as Jonny Lomax scored with Coote kicking a sixth conversion of the evening for 40-12.

In attendance on Friday night as Wigan Warriors' miserable start continued with a 25-12 loss at Warrington Wolves. Jake Mamo crossed inside seven minutes for 4-0 before a self-converted try and penalty goal from Stefan Ratchford gave the Wolves a 12-0 lead at the interval. Ex-Warrior Josh Charnley extended the lead within six minutes of the restart with Ratchford converting for 18-0.  Wigan hit back with two scores in three minutes from Tom Davies and Willie Isa with Zak Hardaker converting both for 18-12. Dec Patton restored a two score lead four minutes later with a drop goal for 19-12 before a second try from an ex-Warrior late on saw Jack Hughes cross and Ratchford kick for 25-12.

Leeds Rhinos poor start to the season continued as they fell to an 18-16 defeat to London Broncos. London opened the scoring through Jay Pitts with Kieran Dixon converting before adding a penalty goal for 8-0. The lead lasted into the interval before Leeds his back with two tries in 15 minutes after the restart from Richie Myler and Trent Merrin with Tui Lolohea converting for 12-8. Tom Briscoe extended the Rhinos' lead to 16-8 on the hour before a superb fightback in the final five minutes saw Matt Fozard and Will Lovell scoring with Dixon kicking the latter to complete the comeback and secure the win.

Friday's third game saw Wakefield Trinity securing a 32-12 win at Hull FC. After a scoreless opening quarter, Wakefield struck through Ryan Hampshire with Danny Brough converting for 6-0 before adding a penalty goal and converting an effort from Bill Tupou in the space of six minutes for 14-0. FC hit back with two scores in the final four minutes of the half from Danny Houghton and Bureta Faraimo, Marc Sneyd converting both for 14-12 into the interval. Wakefield resumed their scoring in the second half with a second try from Tupou ahead  of two Brough penalties either side of a Pauli Pauli try for 26-12. The final say on the score came on 76 minutes with Reece Lyne touching down and Brough converting.

Sunday afternoon saw a tight affair at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle as Castleford Tigers edged a 24-20 over Salford Red Devils. Cas flew out of the blocks with Nathan Massey and Jordan Rankin crossing inside the opening quarter with Rankin converting twice for 12-0. Jake Bibby replied for Salford for a 12-4 scoreline at the interval. Greg Eden (Rankin conv) made it 18-4 inside seven minutes of the restart before two tries in as many minutes from Jansin Turgut and Joey Lussick saw the latter convert both to cut the gap to 18-16. Cas opened up a 24-16 lead with Jesse Sene-Lefao's try and a Rankin penalty goal before Bibby's second try set up a tense finish.

Another close game saw Catalans Dragons earn their first away win of the year with a 18-16 win at Hull Kingston Rovers. A try-less first half saw Craig Hall and Sam Tomkins kick penalties for 2-2 before Weller Hauraki put Rovers ahead with a try four minutes after the restart, Hall converting for 8-2. Joel Tomkins crossed for 12-2 before Brayden Williame and Lucas Albert's tries coupled with a Tomkins conversion drew the Dragons level at 12 all. Hall crossed for a try on 65 minutes to put Rovers 16-12 up before Lewis Tierney crossed for the Dragons with just four minutes left, Tomkins conversion from long range sealing the win. 

2019 Super League Round Four/Five Reviews

Round four opened at the AJ Bell Stadium as St Helens claimed a 26-4 win over Salford Red Devils. A Mark Percival try and Lachlan Coote conversion gave Saints a 6-0 lead after 20 minutes ahead of scores for Jonny Lomax and James Roby with Coote converting only the latter for a 16-0 half-time advantage.

Salford got on the board on 53 minutes as Derrell Olpherts extended his scoring streak in 2019 for 16-4. The visitors responded with a Regan Grace try four minutes later with Roby's second try on 75 minutes and a third Coote conversion rounding off the win.

Friday night saw Castleford Tigers continue their good start with a 32-16 victory over Hull Kingston Rovers. The hosts were stung by a 13th minute opener by Mose Masoe, Ryan Shaw converting for a 6-0 lead, Cas hit back through Jordan Rankin for 6-4 before going 10-6 in front with a Liam Watts try and Paul McShane conversion. The hosts went further ahead just before the interval with Greg Eden crossing for 14-6.

James Clare continued the Tigers streak four minutes after the break, Rankin kicking for 20-6 before a second try for Masoe and Shaw conversion cut the gap to 20-12. The Tigers resumed control a second Eden score and try for ex-Robin Chris Clarkson, Rankin improving both with the boot for 32-12. The final say on the scoreline came two minutes from the end as Chris Atkin touched down for 32-16.

Another all-Yorkshire battle on Friday saw Leeds Rhinos mixed start continue as they lost 35-18 to Wakefield Trinity.  The Rhinos did open the scoring inside three minutes through Ash Handley before a stunning 11-minute hat-trick from Tom Johnstone saw Danny Brough convert twice for a 16-4 lead.

Leeds replied with Tom Briscoe crossing and Tui Lolohea converting for 16-10 but Trinity took just five minutes to regain a two-score lead as Kyle Wood went in and Brough converted for 22-10. Brough extended the advantage just after the interval with a penalty goal for 24-10, Jacob Miller crossed to make it 28-10 before a Brough drop goal and self-converted try in a four minute period looked to seal the win at 35-10. Leeds had a late rally though with both Handley and Briscoe completing braces in the final five minutes for 35-18.

A tight game at the Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday as Catalans Dragons edged a 23-22 win over Warrington Wolves. The Dragons raced out of the block as Brayden Williame crossed inside two minutes ahead of a Kenny Edwards try, Sam Tomkins converting both for 12-0 before adding a penalty goal for 14-0. Warrington replied with a self-converted try from Stefan Ratchford before Tony Gigot swept over a drop goal for the hosts for 15-6 into half-time. The Wolves turned the game around before the hour with scores from Daryl Clark and Ryan Atkins coupled with a Ratchford conversion for 16-15. Remi Casty touched down (Tomkins conv) to restore the lead but just five minutes later, Warrington went back in front, Dec Patton (Ratchford conv) crossing for 22-21. The Wolves looked set to continue their perfect start to the season but were denied the victory five minutes from the end, Tomkins sweeping over a crucial penalty goal for 23-22.

Huddersfield Giants still search for their first win of the season after a 28-8 loss to Hull FC. FC struck first with Joe Westerman crossing in the 15th minute, Marc Sneyd converting for 6-0 before Darnell McIntosh replied for the Giants with Olly Russell levelling with the conversion before kicking a penalty goal for an 8-6 advantage which lasted until five minutes after half-time when Westerman scored his second try and Sneyd kicked FC into a 12-8 lead that was rapidly increased to 16-6 by Ratu Naulago's try. The win was sealed for the visitors by a Josh Griffin brace which saw Sneyd converting both for 28-8.

The final game of the round was one I attended as London Broncos claimed a shock 18-16 win over Wigan Warriors. The Warriors opened the scoring with tries from Liam Paisley and Willie Isa with Zak Hardaker converting once for 10-0. London battled back with scores from Eddie Battye and Matt Gee with Kieran Dixon converting both for a 12-10 lead into the interval.

Dixon crossed for a self-converted try four minutes after the interval before kicking a penalty goal for 18-10. The Warriors cut the gap to 18-16 as ex-Bronco forward Tony Clubb touched down with Hardaker converting but to no avail as London triumphed.

Round five began with Warrington Wolves claiming a 24-10 win over Castleford Tigers on Thursday night. Greg Eden gave the Tigers an eighth minute lead at 4-0 before a seven minute brace from Jake Mamo saw Stefan Ratchford convert the latter for 10-4. Jack Hughes crossed just before the interval with Ratchford kicking for a 16-4 half-time advantage. Ratchford extended the lead to 18-4 with a penalty goal before improving Ben Murdoch-Masila's 50th minute try for 24-4. The Tigers had the final say on the scoreline on the hour mark as Greg Minikin touched down with Jordan Rankin converting for 24-10.

Friday night saw attendance as Huddersfield Giants ended their losing streak with a 14-6 win over Wigan Warriors. The Warriors who successfully appealed their points deduction in midweek fell behind early on as Kruise Leeming went over inside 12 minutes with Lee Gaskell converting for 6-0. The narrow lead lasted past the interval until Morgan Escaré raced over for the hosts with Zak Hardaker kicking Wigan level. Gaskell restored the Giants' lead on the hour with the boot before Joe Wardle crossed for a 65th minute try which Gaskell improved for 14-6.

Leeds Rhinos mixed start to the season continued as they blew a 10-0 lead to lose 34-10 at Hull FC. The Rhinos raced into the aforementioned lead inside nine minutes as Harry Newman and Tom Briscoe crossed with Tui Lolohea converting just the former. FC hit back through Ratu Naulago and Masimbaashe Matongo with Marc Sneyd converting twice for a 12-10 lead that swiftly became 30-10 as Sneyd crossed ahead of Jamie Shaul and Albert Kelly and converted the lot.

The second half proved to be quieter with just one score registered on the board, Dean Hadley crossing for FC to complete the rout and after 13 games without a win extend FC's current streak of three in a row.

St Helens continued their 100% start with a comfortable 26-0 success over London Broncos. Saints flew out of the blocks with Dom Peyroux touching down in the first minute, Lachlan Coote converting for 6-0. Regan Grace and Theo Fages both crossed either side of the half hour mark with Coote converting the latter for 16-0. Coote claimed a try of his own after the hour and converted for 22-0 before Kevin Naiqama completed the rout in the final minutes.

Saturday afternoon saw a huge shock at Stade Gilbert Brutus as Catalans Dragons suffered a 46-0 demolition by Salford Red Devils. The visitors struck the opening score inside eight minutes through Joey Lussick with Ken Sio converting for 6-0. The lead remained at a converted try until 28 minutes when Sio kicked a penalty goal for 8-0. A frantic final four minutes of the first half saw Salford cross twice with George Griffin and Jake Bibby touching down, Sio converting just the former for 18-0. A rapid start to the second half saw Bibby and Griffin complete braces inside six minutes with Sio's kicking making it 30-0. Jackson Hastings and Niall Evalds piled punishment on the Dragons before the hour with Sio rounding off the rout with a self-converted try late on.

A close game ended the round on Sunday as Hull Kingston Rovers edged a 10-6 win at Wakefield Trinity. A first half without a try saw Danny Brough and Craig Hall exchange penalty goals for a 2-2 half-time score. Further penalty goals either side of the hour saw Brough successful ahead of Hall for 4-4. A third Brough penalty goal edged Trinity ahead on 70 minutes before the first and last try of the afternoon came on 74 minutes as Danny McGuire went over with Hall converting for 10-6.