This week end, the SuperLeague left the spotlight to the fifth round of the Canergie Challenge Cup with some spectacular ties in perspective. And what a week end it was. No less than 87 tries were scored with special mention to Wigan and Warrington who ran a 12-try victory over Widnes and Huddersfield.
On Friday and after a scrappy start of the season, the reigning SuperLeague champions Leeds were hoping to get some confidence back against Championship 1 side Blackpool. The first half was hardly fought with Leeds only leading 24-16 at the break. But the Rhinos put up a gear and scored eight second half tries to go through the quarter finals 70-22. NZ fullback Man of the match Brent Webb picked up five tries with Mickael Coady scoring a hat-trick.
On the same night, Bradford Bulls were hosting Championship title contenders Leigh. This game was the occasion for Bulls Legend Robbie Paul, now at Leigh, to comeback to the Odsal. But the party did not turn out how he would have liked. Indeed, the SuperLeague side eased through to reach the last eight scoring ten tries with centre Chris Nero crossing the line three times 58-16.
On Saturday, Huddersfield Giants hosted the high flying Warrington Wolves for a remake of last year Challenge Cup final won by the Wolves. With both team in fine form, this tie was expected to be a high quality and hardly fought game.
However, an enormous amount of errors from the Giants and an outstanding performance from Warrington’s players did not leave any doubt about the outcome of this clash. The Wolves ran twelve tries with England centre Chris Bridge scoring five for a final score of 60 to 4 for the Cup holders.
In the other tie of the day, Championship club Widnes hosting old rivals SuperLeague leaders Wigan. As predicted, the Warriors outclassed the locals to reach the quarter finals by scoring twelve tries to win 64-10, Sam Tomkins and Karl Price picking up a hat-trick on the way.
After four one sided game, Sunday’s game were a lot closer with unpredictable outcome up until the last minutes of the game. St Helens visited Harlequins in the first of the SuperLeague clubs clash of the day. After coming back to form in April, Quins were hoping for a forth consecutive victory all competitions against the club who defeated last a month earlier.
The first half was hardly fought with the locals just leading 10-6. But two second half try from winger Francis Meli helped the visitors to overtake their host and tries from Leon Pryce, and Ade Gardner sealed the victories for St Helens 30-10.
But the game of the week end was without a doubt the tie between the Welsh side Crusaders and SuperLeague strugglers Catalans Dragons. With already five wins in the league and a very promising start, the Welsh were hosting a French side that lost all hope for the SuperLeague playoffs with only two wins and set the Cup as their only objective.
The Dragons were up for a firing start scoring five tries in the first half against a very poor defence to lead 30-12 at the break. But the Crusaders came back strong in front of their home crowd and both team offered an amazing forty minutes of knock out rugby. The game was loose with dropped ball, missed tackle and break form all over the pitch.
Crusaders scored four times while man of the match Setaimata completed his hat trick for the visitors to level the score at 34-34 with ten minutes to go. In these cases, it is always down to a silly mistake to give away field position and a drop goal attempt from the kicker.
Australian half back Jarrod Sammut was the first to have a crack at it for the Crusaders with three minutes to go but it was wide. It was then the turn of French playmaker Thomas Bosc to have a go at it but he hooked and the kick went wide too. On the next possession, Rhys Handbury dropped the all in Catalans’s forty meters. With 27 seconds to go, Thomas Bosc did not miss the opportunity again and sealed the victory for the French outfit to maintain their hope of reaching Wembley for the 2007 runners-up.
The game between Halifax and Batley has been postponed just three and a half hours before the game after Halifax was found guilty of fielding prop Michael Ostick in their fourth round victory against Swinton while the player had already played for Rochdale in the third round and was then Challenge Cup tied. The RFL is investigating the case but Halifax is probably facing to be kicked out of the competition and Batley to go through the next round.
The Quarter finals will be played on the week end of May 28-29. The draw has been made just after the Crusaders-Catalans clash and is offering some mouth watering ties. Warrington, the Cup holder and now favourite to claim a back to back Challenge Cup success, will travel to Bradford Bulls. Reigning SuperLeague champion Leeds Rhinos will entertain SuperLeague leaders Wigan Warriors at Headingley. St Helens are hosting Championship Barrow and Catalans will travel to Championship club Halifax or Batley in what would be a slightly easier games for Saints and Dragons.
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