Renewing an Easter
rugby league tradition as St Helens assert their dominance over the rest of
Super League.
 |
| The Fly in the Loaf, Liverpool [Image credit: Stuco Design] |
As well as catching up with family and friends – and making a
visit to Prescot Cables FC, now safe from relegation – an Easter visit to
Liverpool afforded the opportunity to renew a rugby league tradition.
Ever since my student days I’ve usually made my way to the
Fly in the Loaf on Liverpool’s Hardman Street to watch the Good Friday rugby
league derbies – often Hull v Hull KR, occasionally Warrington v Widnes, but
always Saints v Wigan.
So it was that after Good Friday communion at Grace Church
Halewood, I made the short train journey into the city centre for the first
Good Friday Saints-Wigan clash since 2019.
***
There’s always a debate at this time of year around which
rugby league derby is the biggest and best. Bradford v Leeds seemed the
frontrunner at one stage, but it doesn’t seem likely that the West Yorkshire
offering is going to be a regular fixture for the foreseeable future.
My controversial take is that, while Saints-Wigan is clearly
the biggest, the Hull derby is the only real derby – that is, one in which both
combatants are from the same town or city.
As the Fly filled up, however, there was no debate – the game at Craven Park was only a curtain raiser for the main event. And, judging by the cheers for Lachlan Coote’s second-half score for the Robins, the majority would be shouting for Saints.
 |
| Red Centennial from Ossett Brewery in West Yorkshire - a rich, malty red IPA |
The Fly in the Loaf has long been Liverpool’s rugby league
pub, thanks in part to a former bar manager from Whitehaven with a soft spot
for St Helens (framed Saints and Haven shirts used to hang on the wall, but
have sadly now been removed). Jon Wilkin even held his wedding reception there.
It was the one place in a city where rugby league remains
a stranger where you could guarantee that big Super League and international
fixtures would be screened, watched by a loyal crowd of rugby league regulars.
***
To the game itself, and in the first quarter Wigan
challenged Saints probably as much as any side this season. The home side were
fortunate that Liam Farrell didn’t put the Warriors ahead just moments into the
game, after which Jai Field did indeed open scoring.
St Helens clicked into gear after that with well-worked
tries from Tommy Makinson and Jonny Lomax giving them a 12-6 half-time lead,
and Wigan failed to turn up for the second half.
From a neutral perspective it was all a bit disappointing – especially given earlier predictions that only Wigan looked capable of challenging Saints this season.
Yet Wigan have now drawn level on points with their rivals,
thanks to a last-minute win over Salford on Sunday afternoon, brought to us
courtesy of Channel 4’s excellent
Super League coverage.
Jai Field was the man again, showing impressive pace and
vision to spot where the Salford defence was unprepared and make a
try-scoring, game-clinching run from one goal line to the other.
Saints lost ground when their youthful side lost 30-10 at
Castleford on Friday evening, and – while coaches should be free
to make their own team selections – time will tell whether resting
first-choice players so early in the year will be an astute long-term strategy
or a cause for regret.
Comments
Post a Comment