St Helens Women 58 Castleford Tigers Women 0: Super League semi-final match report

Tigers were league leaders and runners-up to Leeds Rhinos in both 2019’s major finals, but have found things much tougher this year since coach Lindsay Anfield moved to York City Knights in the off-season, with five key players joining her early in the campaign.

Despite having to rebuild, they finished fifth at the end of the regular season and fourth following the play-offs, to secure a semi-final spot.

But league leaders Saints proved too strong on their home ground, despite an improved second half performance by Castleford after they trailed 32-0 at the break.

Castleford coach Marie Colley felt her side "showed some character", but admitted: "Saints are the best team in the comp' and that showed."

She added: "Five of our 17 were aged over 25 and the rest were young blood - that is good for the development of the game."

Sunday's opening 40 was largely one-way traffic as Saints ran in seven tries.

Carrie Roberts, Paige Travis, Tara Jones, Jodie Cunningham and Leah Burke went over to make it 20-0 after 23 minutes.

Tigers almost scored when Jasmine Cudjoe sent Hollie Dodd racing clear, but she was tackled just short by Roberts and then Jones held up Cudjoe when she tried to sneak over from acting-half.

Cunningham and Chantelle Crowl increased Saints’ lead before half-time, but Cas applied some strong pressure after the restart, until Jones broke away to score. Travis and Burke added tries to make it 48-0 at the end of the third quarter and Rachael Woosey and Burke completed the scoring in the final 10 minutes. Zoe Harris finished with five goals.

St Helens: Woosey, Bush, Hardcastle, Roberts, Burke, Stott, Harris, I Rudge, Jones, Crowl, Williams, Travis, Cunningham. Subs Whitfield, Akrigg, Birchall, Sandham.

Castleford Tigers: Stanley, Varley, Wallace, Dodd, Hirst, Waters, Eastwood, Watts, Cudjoe, Higo, Lumley, Hoyle, Bell. Subs Backhouse, Priestley, Owen, lamb.

Referee: Jack Smith (Warrington).