By Greg Nixon, Lucas Wright and Euan Jones
WARRINGTON Wolves Women bowed out of this year’s Challenge Cup competition after conceding 19 tries to a rampant St Helens.
A home side packed full of internationals proved too strong for the new look Wire – who had Hannah Goddard, Hollie Gregory, Arabella Reed, Charlotte Nixon and Libby Hadfield all pulling on a Wire jersey for the first time in a competitive match – and ran in a record-breaking 102 unanswered points.
Amy Hardcastle led the way with four tries in the first half, while there were further hat-tricks for Katie Mottershead and former Wire favourite Georgia Sutherland.
Shona Hoyle, a recent signing from Leeds Rhinos, opened Saints’ account with the first try on seven minutes, skipping through the Warrington defence after being put through by prop Chantelle Crowl.
Faye Gaskin added the extras, then found her own way to the try line just a minute later as the Wire cover seemed to evaporate, to double the lead.
From then on, it was a procession of scores for the Challenge Cup holders as Warrington just couldn’t handle the power and pace of their opponents. Phoebe Hook was next to score in the corner before Hardcastle went on one of her trademark runs from the halfway line to crash over in the 14th minute.
England captain Jodie Cunningham was the beneficiary of some good work by Caitlin Casey before Hardcastle completed her hat-trick in barnstorming style on the half hour mark. With Gaskin’s steady boot consistently adding the extras, the game was already beyond Warrington at 40-0.
After Hardcastle had grabbed her fourth, there was still time for Hook to grab another to send the hosts into the break with a comfortable 50-0 lead.
The visitors looked more galvanised at the start of the second half but could do nothing to prevent Mottershead and Sutherland getting the first of their three individual tries, with Zoe Harris also getting on the scoresheet for the first time to make it 64-0 before the hour mark.
Injuries to powerful prop Arabella Reed and former Huddersfield Giant Hannah Goddard didn’t help the Wire cause as the Saints hit the century mark, with Casey and Dani McGifford going over before Mottershead and Sutherland completed their own personal scoring milestones in the dying moments.
Wire head coach Ged Ginty said: “This was a really, really tough one but the girls kept going to the end.
“A result like that is not great but we struggled with injuries before the game and we’ve had injuries throughout the game as well in key positions.
“I’m proud of the girls, they’ve worked really hard for the full 80 minutes.
“We’ve got five weeks to our next match so it’s down to us to reset, learn from what has happened today and learn how to be better in different areas.”
And he had particular praise for young winger Sydney Alderman-Smith, who played at full back, saying: “I thought she was fantastic. She had a lot to do today but she kept going and going and made so many try-saving tackles.”
Warrington Wolves open their Super League season with a clash against the Huddersfield Giants at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, on Sunday, May 18.
