Leeds 16 St Helens 26: World-class Graham inspires Saints

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Louise Thomas

Editor

At the end of a week that brought little but bad news for England's strength in the World Cup, James Graham was more than ever a breath of fresh air as St Helens' Scouse prop proved their standout performer in this Challenge Cup semi-final display on Saturday.

Sam Burgess might be out of action because of a shoulder operation and Gareth Hock might well be suspended tomorrow for stupidly manhandling the referee, but Graham is the real deal: a truly world-class British forward.

Graham's first spell on the field set the tone for a Saints performance that always looked destined to take them to a third final in a row. When Leeds, hamstrung by injuries before and during the game, staged a brave fightback in the second half, Graham steadied the ship and carried Saints forward again. But the 22-year-old front-rower was not happy about the 12.30 kick-off in the heat. "It was not looking after the players' welfare," he said.

The other area where Saints' were crucially better was in the half-backs, where Sean Long and Leon Pryce both looked consummate game players. The comparison between them and Leeds' six and seven is not entirely fair, however, because Danny McGuire played much of the game on one good leg and Rob Burrow missed the middle section of it with concussion. Ryan Hall was also groggy on his wing for part of the first half and Clinton Toopi went off with a knee ligament injury that could end his season.

Even before the match the Leeds coach, Brian McClennan, lost Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Ryan Bailey and, most damagingly, Brent Webb. That left him short of the quality he needed to halt Saints' winning streak in all competitions, which now stands at 16 games. There was no disputing their bravery, but they needed more luck with their personnel, the bounce of the ball, and one or two refereeing decisions.

Even allowing for all that, Saints are what they have become under Daniel Anderson's coaching – the best Challenge Cup team since Wigan's dominance in the Eighties and Nineties.

Leeds: Tries Lauitiiti, Donald, Leuluai. Goals: Sinfield 2. St Helens: Tries Flannery, Pryce, Wilkin, Hargreaves; Goals Long 5.

Leeds: Smith; Hall, Toopi, Senior, Donald; McGuire, Burrow; Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Lauitiiti, Ellis, Sinfield. Substitutes used: Scruton. Ablett, Kirke, Worrall.

St Helens: Wellens; Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli; Pryce, Long; Hargreaves, Cunningham, Graham, Gilmour, Wilkin, Flannery. Substitutes used: Roby, Cayless, Clough, Fa'asavalu.

Referee: A Klein (London).