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Rugby League

Saints grab Challenge Cup spot

29/07/2006

St Helens booked themselves into the Challenge Cup final to face Leeds or Huddersfield with an emphatic 50-0 thrashing of Hull Kingston Rovers at the Galpharm Stadium.

Saints fully exploited their opponents' lack of Superleague experience and ran in nine unanswered tries against the underdogs.

Hull KR, while unbeaten in National League One, found the move up in class a step too far and Justin Morgan's side found their hopes dead and buried by the break with an improbable 24-point difference to make up.

Rovers were hindered by a shortage of luck as well as pedigree. An early try for Tommy Gallagher was ruled out by the video referee and the Craven Park side sustained a series of injuries with Jason Netherton, James Webster and Gareth Morton all forced out of the action.

Former Hull player Jon Wilkin piled the misery on his ex-club touching down twice, but he wasn't short of accomplices as Sean Long, Vinnie Anderson, Lyon, Willie Talau (two), Ade Gardner and Paul Wellens all crossed the whitewash.

Kicker Jamie Lyon added seven goals to his own try to bring up his team's half-century. Saints will now turn their attention to tomorrow's second semi-final to see who will join them in their fourth final appearance in six years.

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