Round 4
Celtic Crusaders 0 l. St Helens 4

2009 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

One try enough for Saints to egde out resilient Celtic
Sun March 8, 2009
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

St Helens secured another engage Super League victory last night but the resilient Celtic Crusaders ensured it was a nervy triumph for the visitors to Bridgend.

Saints had a point to prove before kick-off after a shock home defeat to Hull KR eight days ago, while the Crusaders were still searching for their first win of the season.

But the Crusaders' prospects were hit with the loss of influential half-back and captain Jace van Dijk and top try-scorer Tony Duggan, both through injury.

St Helens put the Welsh side under early pressure, however they could not plough over the try line due to some stubborn defence.

After soaking that up on their own line, the Crusaders paid scant respect to the reputation of their illustrious opponents and almost got the opening try of the match when loose forward Peter Lupton was put over just a yard from the line.

Unfortunately for the Welsh side he had knocked on in the act of touching down.

Those scoring attempts by the Crusaders were sporadic as they mostly defended with gusto.

Maurie Fa'asavalu went over the line but referee Phil Bentham gave a kick under the posts to the home side, declaring that the ball had not been grounded.

As the rain started to come down over the Brewery Field, incredibly the Crusaders had produced another excellent effort, similar to those against Leeds and Hull in previous weeks, by holding one of the Super League giants in a half of rugby which finished point-less.

The deadlock, which had lasted for nearly an hour, was eventually broken when the Crusaders defence buckled and allowed Saints wing Tom Armstrong to just ground the ball in the left corner.

Half-back Sean Long marshalled St Helens throughout the match but they dropped too many balls, went up too many blind alleys and Long was forced to kick the ball away more than he would have liked.

The Crusaders' resilience was epitomised by a stunning tackle on Armstrong from stand-off Damien Quinn in the left corner.

Last year's carnegie Challenge Cup winners also thought they had got a try through a Long grubber but that was also knocked on.

And Bryn Hargreaves dropped the ball when scoring a try for Saints appeared the easier task right on the hooter.

Such was the bravery of the performance from the home side that the visiting fans cheered the Welsh outfit off the pitch at the end.


Three Crusaders games this weekend including one in Treorchy
Fri March 6, 2009
Source: www.crusadersrfl.com

The visit of Super League giants St Helens to the Brewery Field this Saturday headlines a triple header of matches for Celtic Crusaders this weekend as all three of the club's sides are in action in Wales in one weekend for the first time ever.

The first team and reserves both play on Saturday and both take on St Helens.

Last season's league leaders and Grand Finalists, the visit of two-time World Champions and 12-time Championship winners will be one of the season's highlights at the Brewery Field. Saints are currently captained by former Welsh international, Keiron Cunningham and also have Welsh prop Bryn Hargreaves in their ranks.

The first team game kicks off at 6pm while the reserve match precedes it at 2.30pm.

Crusaders have been hit by injuries to two key players with Jace Van Dijk and Luke Dyer both missing out.

Van Dijk limped off the field with an ankle injury against Hull FC two weeks ago while Dyer suffered a slight knock to the hip.

"Jace wasn't right to go this week," said Crusaders coach John Dixon. "We're hoping he'll be back for the Hull Kingston Rovers trip on March 15th.

"Luke Dyer won't play either. He had a bump at the Hull FC game. He's running but not freely and we're confident that he'll also be okay for Hull KR."

However Lincoln Withers, a close season signing from Canberra Raiders will make his debut after a ten-month lay off due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The hooker, who has made 154 NRL appearances, limped off the Sydney Football Stadium on May 11th last year and immediately it was known that his 2008 season was over.

Now, he's 100% fit and is looking forward to starting his engage Super League career.

"I'm really excited," he said. "The last ten months has been very frustrating and watching the boys do what you love is hard but the physio's given me the all clear and I'm looking forward to going out there and playing some footy.

"Everyone in rugby league knows who St Helens are and back in Australia they're well known too. My first crack at Super League and it's against probably one the most well known sides."

Dixon's team also includes Steve Tyrer for the first time.

Tyrer, who is currently on loan from St Helens, made his club debut for Crusaders reserves last week in the 48-40 win over Leeds Rhinos and amassed 32 points through four tries and eight goals.

"Steve came to us to play Super League," Dixon said. "It's an exciting day for him to be playing for the Crusaders as it's his first hit-out. The fact that his debut coincides with St Helens is coincidental only. He's ready for his chance.

"It's going to be a great day for Celtic Crusaders. St Helens are a big name and the good thing is that it's not just the first team playing. On Saturday afternoon at 2.30pm our reserves grade team and also facing St Helens and that's a team chock a block full of young Welshmen.

"As a coach and as a club we need to be patient with those young men as it's a huge step for them as well, actually playing against a Super League club themselves at an elite level. Our junior structures underneath are where the long-term future of our club comes from so to have them here on Saturday playing against St Helens is a tremendous thing. To have two games against St Helens in one day is a stamp of how much progress this club is making and a step in the future for rugby league in Wales."

Crusaders Reserves will be full of confidence following their 48-40 win at Leeds Rhinos last Sunday but they know that their job will be even harder this Saturday.

St Helens Reserves emulated their first team by finishing top of the table last year, but unfortunately for them, they also mirrored their superiors by losing in the Grand Final. Local rivals Wigan were the victors on that occasion by 32 points to 10.

Finally on Sunday at Treorchy RFC, the Crusaders under 18 side face their biggest game of the Gillette National Youth League season so far as they host unbeaten league leaders Leigh Miners Rangers (kick-off 1.30pm).

Rangers have won every game this season, while the Crusaders, currently in third place in the table, have won 13 out of 14, their only loss coming in their first ever game by a solitary try.

Crusaders 20-man squad (to be reduced to 17 on Saturday): Tony Duggan, Mark Lennon, Steve Tyrer, Josh Hannay, Mark Dalle Cort, Anthony Blackwood, Damien Quinn, Matty Smith, Ryan O'Hara, Neil Budworth, Lincoln Withers, Mark Bryant, Adam Peek, Chris Beasley, Darren Mapp, Marshall Chalk, Peter Lupton, Ben Flower, Jason Chan, Jordan James.

Fri March 6, 2009
• Who will score the Crusaders 600th try?
  

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