St Helens beat Hull KR 52-12 in Super League
Last Updated: 25/07/15 10:23am
St Helens rounded off the regular Super League season in impressive style, with a 52-12 triumph over faltering Hull KR taking them top of the table.
Saints never looked back after racing into a 24-0 lead after 24 minutes and, although they will be knocked off the top if Leeds beat Catalans Dragons on Sunday, they will go into the Super 8s and next Friday's Challenge Cup semi-final against the Rhinos in confident mood.
Hull KR coach Chris Chester, who gave a debut to Dane Chisholm a little more than a week after arriving from Australia, will be to instil some much-needed confidence into his side for next Saturday's Cup semi-final against Warrington.
St Helens were without a rested James Roby but they were superbly marshalled by half-backs Travis Burns and Luke Walsh, while second-rower Joe Greenwood continued to demonstrate his rich promise with two of his side's nine tries.
It was ominous at the start for the visitors with impressive young forwards Andre Savelio and Greenwood both reaching their tryline, only to be held up on their backs.
There was no stopping Greenwood, though, on 14 minutes when Hull KR full-back Kieran Dixon fumbled Walsh's high kick and Burns got the rebound to get the second-rower over for a simple try.
Burns then got on the end of a long-range break by full-back Adam Quinlan to score against his old club before Walsh's cut-out pass gave winger Matty Dawson an unopposed run to the corner for Saints' third try.
At that stage Rovers simply could not get their hands on the ball and they slipped further behind when a 40-20 kick from Burns set up the position for second-rower Atelea Vea to crash over for a try on comeback from a four-month injury lay-off.
Walsh converted all four tries as Saints led 24-0 but the Robins eventually managed to show their potential when they got hold of the ball.
A wayward pass from hooker John Boudebza wrong-footed the Saints defence and Dixon jinked his way over for the visitors' first try while Chisholm made his mark seven minutes before the break when he released winger Ben Cockayne with a long ball and was in support to get Boudebza over.
Josh Mantellato kicked both conversions to make it 24-12 at the break and the scores breathed new life into the visitors.
They were pressing for a third try nine minutes into the second half when Chisholm's attacking kick went straight into the grateful arms of Quinlan, who sprinted 80 metres for an opportunist score.
And there was no way back for the Robins when substitute forward Mark Flanagan accepted an offload from loose forward Josh Jones to go over for a sixth Saints try on 56 minutes.
Burns and Walsh combined to get Greenwood romping over for his second try 10 minutes later and, as the Robins visibly tired, left winger Adam Swift ran in two tries in the final seven minutes, with Walsh taking his goal tally to eight from 10 attempts.
