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Defeat at Saints for the Giants - Match Report

It was defeat at the Brewdog Stadium for Jim Lenihan’s Giants. Here’s how the action unfolded.

The Giants held strong and defended really well in the opening stanza in St Helens in sweltering heat. The deadlock looked to have been broken as Sironen pounced on what was a dropped ball from full back Flanagan, but the video ref chalked it off for a knock on in the build up to grounding for the hosts.

However, on 22 minutes, Sironen did have his try and opened the scoring. A high tackle punished by the ref, and the Saints number 11 crashed over from close range. That was closely followed by his second of the afternoon when Tristan Sailor followed his kick, tried to kick through only to see it deflect off George Flanagan and back into his path. He popped it up for Sironen who went over to ground.

Giants looked to get on the front foot, when Kershaw intercepted and headed for the horizon. He got caught 15m away and a Lolohea kick wide stopped any attack in its tracks.

Saints had the last say in the first half as Macdonald was out wide to take a looping pass from Hastings and ensure the hosts went into the interval with a 16-0 lead.

It was Cole Geyer who eventually got the Giants on the board after sustained pressure just before the hour mark. He scooted from close range, reached out and dotted the ball down. Flanagan added two points from the boot.

Alex Walmsley barged over from close range to extend the hosts’ lead, before all hell broke loose in the final 15 minutes. Both sides saw a number of players leave the field with HIAs. Robertson took advantage of Flanagan being down in back play to nudge the score to 28-6, before a double from Davies on 75 and 78, rounding off the scoring.

Full Time: St Helens 38-6 Huddersfield Giants

Scores:

St Helens

Tries: Davies x2, Robertson, Walmsley, Macdonald, Sironen x 2

Goals: Hastings x5

Giants:

Tries: Geyer

Goals: Flanagan 1/1

Teams:

St Helens: Welsby, Dagnall, Robertson, Percival, MacDonald, Sailor, Hastings, Walmsley, Clark, Klemmer, Sironen, Wright, Shorrocks

Interchanges: Delaney, Davies, Humphreys, Suluka Fifita

18th: Swarbrick