Saints reach Challenge Cup final

10:38pm Saturday 26th July 2008

St Helens continued their relentless march towards the double with an outstanding 26-16 victory against arch-rivals Leeds that took them through to a third successive Carnegie Challenge Cup final.

A 16th successive league and cup win was never in doubt once the evergreen Sean Long sent Chris Flannery over for the opening try just seven minutes into a physical and fast-paced semi-final at Huddersfield's Galpharm Stadium.

Saints will now be overwhelming favourites to make it a third successive triumph in coach Daniel Anderson's final season at the club when they take on Wakefield or Hull at Wembley on August 30.

Leeds staged a second-half rally after trailing 18-2 but they were easily second best on a day when little went right for them.

Already without New Zealand Test full-back Brent Webb, who failed to shake off a back injury, the defending champions lost influential scrum-half Rob Burrow after only 17 minutes when he came off much the worse from an attempted tackle on Lee Gilmour.

Stand-off Danny McGuire struggled from the early stages with a leg knock and centre Clinton Toopi, who had earlier been placed on report for an alleged spear tackle on Paul Clough, hobbled off with a knee injury five minutes before the break.

Saints scored their second try while Toopi was writhing in agony on the ground but there was little doubt that Saints deserved their 12-2 interval lead.

Apart from the opening moments when second-rower Ali Lauitiiti briefly threatened to cause havoc with his offloads, Leeds were a clear second best in all areas of the game.

Second-rower Gareth Ellis was impressive in a hard-working defence but the Rhinos could not match Saints' attacking prowess.

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