St Helens vs Catalans Dragons Prediction: Scully backing Saints to march to semis

A spot in the Betfred Challenge Cup semi-finals is up for grabs when St Helens host Catalans Dragons at the BrewDog Stadium on Friday night (20:00).

Saints legend Paul Sculthorpe discusses the club's recent form and provides his St Helens vs Catalans Dragons predictions.

The annual Good Friday Derby against our arch rivals Wigan Warriors very rarely fails to deliver. This year was certainly not one of those occasions!

Coming into the game, it was very well documented that both teams were coming off disappointing defeats, and both missing key personnel. Saints headed into the game in a far worse condition having 12 of the best starting 17 players unavailable.

The Warriors were actually boosted ahead of the iconic fixture by the return of Jai Field, one of their three key strike players out injured.

It was an ominous start for the Saints with Harry Smith walking in under the posts after six minutes, with some poor inside defence from Shane Wright and Noah Stephens.

Thankfully it was the home side who responded next. Tristan Sailor, who I must say has taken on far more involvement on attack under Paul Rowley, displayed some neat footwork and flick pass that created space for Matt Whitley to post Saints' first points.

Sailor, who was deputising for Jackson Hastings with the goal kicking was unable to add the extras. 6-4 to Wigan.

There was a lot of talk pre-game if Jacko would play due to a leg injury, and when he didn’t kick I did fear the worst. Big shout out to him to get through the 80 minutes, and managing things as he did with an obvious injury.

Jack Farrimond was allowed to catch a tap back on the Saints line unchallenged, and put Wigan back in front, before a trademark Daryl Clark jump and crash over from dummy half got Saints back to within two points. 10-12 at the break.

It took 13 minutes of the second half for the next score, and it was Jai Field who won the race to a Harry Smith grubber kick. Adam Keighran converted to put the Warriors two scores ahead.

On 65 minutes, some weak Saints left edge defence saw two offloads create space for Zack Eckersley to dive in at the corner, and in the words of Sky commentator Dave Woods ‘to win the derby!’. 24-10 to Wigan with 10 minutes left in the game.

‘Never write off the Saints’ and all that...

On 71 minutes, some silky hands put Lewis Murphy clear down the left wing, who threw the ball inside to Hastings to cross for what many thought a consolation try.

This was quickly followed by a Tristan Sailor solo effort which he duly converted to close the gap to just two points with five minutes to play.

Step up Bill Leyland!

I’ll be honest, when the week loans of Hull KR pair Jordan Dezaria and Bill Leyland were announced a few days prior to the match, I didn’t know Bill, at all. I did however speak to a friend of mine in London, who said ‘this boy can play!’. How right he was…

He entered the pitch with just over 20 minutes remaining in the game, but I could see his energy and exuberance lift the team instantly.

He then went on to write his name in Saints folklore. Whether he ever wears the red V again, the Saints faithful will forever remember his name after possibly the most influential three minutes on a Good Friday derby, ever.

Three minutes from time, he spotted Jai Field being the only player between him and the Wigan tryline, and proceeded to run over him to put Saints in front for the first time in the game, leaving his coach Paul Rowley nearly in tears in the coaches box.

Wigan were forced to go for a short kick off, which Keighran tipped backwards, only for the ball to bounce right over Field into the arms of that man Leyland, who sprinted 50m towards the Warriors fans and seal the most unthinkable of comebacks and debuts.

Four tries in eight minutes showed the this club never know when they are beat.

Rowls spoke to the press after the game. Yes, it wasn’t pretty at times, but the willingness to compete and fight was clear to see.

This week, all focus is on the Betfred Challenge Cup as Saints host the Catalan Dragons in a do-or-die quarter-final, and hopefully only 80 minutes away from a return to Wembley for the first time since the Covid-restricted final of 2021.

Still without the majority of players unavailable against Wigan, and now add to that Agnatius Paasi (hamstring) and Shane Wright (HIA) it’s going to be another week of shuffling players for Paul Rowley. But if they can continue where they left off, that last 10 minutes of doggedness and desire I think we can get past the Dragons.

I’m tipping a Saints win by 10 points.

In the other three quarter-finals, I’m going for Hull KR to revenge that opening Betfred Super League defeat to York.

Warrington to see off an injury-ravaged Leigh.

Then, the tie of the round sees an in-form Wakefield host Wigan, who will be desperate not to lose their third game in a row. I’m going to say they will, and tip a Trinity triumph and a place in the semis.

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