BY JOHN DAVIDSON
Many rugby league games thrown up freakish statistical performances, and this year’s Challenge Cup final was no different.
St Helens won the game 26-12 in unusually hot conditions, with tries to Theo Fages, James Roby, Tommy Makinson and Kyle Amor, and Lachlan Coote kicking five goals from six attempts.
But delving deeper into the detail and some fascinating insights emerge.
Castlford’s hooker Paul McShane topped the tackle count with 42, while St Helens’ top tackler was his counterpart Roby. Winger Makinson made the most metres with 176, closely followed by Alex Walmsley with 158, Pete Mata’utia with 153, Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook with 144 and Niall Evalds with 143.
The performance of Saints’ fearsome forward pack deserves inspection and praise.
Walmsley racked up not only 158 metres, but made 14 tackles in just 45 minutes on the field. McCarthy-Scarsbrook made 19 tackles in 54 minutes to go with his 144 metres, while Agnatius Paasi made a staggering 89 metres and 18 tackles in just a 26 minute spell, with Kyle Amor impressively grabbing 105 metres, a try and 18 tackles in only 36 minutes, and Matty Lees finished with 70 metres and 16 tackles in a mere 29 minute effort.
Forward dominance arguably won St Helens the game.
In total their props made combined 302 all run metres, while Cas’ made just 69, and their back-row made 219 compared to 155 from the amber and black. It was a huge contrast.
It was the same at the gain-line – Saints’ props hitting 229 metres compared to 50, and the back-row reaching 163 compared to 131.
The Red V had 56% possession compared to Castleford’s 44%, and both teams made exactly 11 errors each, made exactly three linebreaks each, with the Tigers only actually missing three more tackles than their opponents.
Overall, St Helens made 362 run metres in total more than Cas, 240 more gainline metres and completed 78% of their sets compared with the Tigers’ 71%.
But most importantly, Castleford’s set completion dropped from 80% in the first half to just 57% in the second half. That was vital, while Saints completed at 79% in the first half and 76% in the second.
Kristian Woolf’s men were far more consistent and reliable over the full 80 minutes.
St Helens’ superior kicking game was another area of difference.
They kicked the ball 21 times and made 540 kicking metres. The Tigers kicked the ball 19 times and made 471 kicking metres.
On an afternoon of scorching weather, in a tight armwrestle, these smallish margins are everything.
