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Rugby League

Saints clinch Challenge Cup

26/08/2006

St Helens proved too strong for Huddersfield Giants in the Challenge Cup final running out 42-12 winners to land a first trophy for coach Daniel Anderson.

The season finale had seemed to be heading for a tenser climax with Huddersfield dominating the first quarter of an hour thanks to their kicking game.

Indeed Saints looked decidedly rattled as the Giants swarmed all over them in the opening minutes and winger Martin Aspinwall crossed top give the underdogs an early advantage.

But as the half wore on so the Superleague leaders began to hit their stride. Willie Talau collected a Paul Sculthorpe's grubber kick to score and Sean Long added a second on 36 minutes to send his side to their Twickenham dressing room 12-6 to the good.

After the interval, and with Huddersfield tiring, St Helens quickly buried any lingering hopes of a comeback.

Jon Wilkin (two), Maurie Fa'asavalu and Jamie Lyon scored four unanswered tries and Huddersfield heads started to drop in the face of an unrelenting attacking onslaught.

Robbie Paul scored to give Giants fans something to cheer in the second half, but the route it came, via an early kick ahead, showed desperation seeping into the Giants' play as they searched for a way to change the game.

Prop Jason Cayless rounded off the victory with the final try and his scrum-half Sean Long picked up the Challenge Cup final man of the match trophy for a third time in his career.

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