With five Grand Finals, four Challenge Cups, five Super League Dream Team appearances and one Harry Sunderland Trophy, the youngest ever Man of Steel winner is one of the most decorated players of the Super League era and as he enters into his 500th appearance for St Helens against Leeds Rhinos on Friday, it is a testament to his character that he has been so consistently at the top of his game for so long. Konrad Hurrell will wear the number 23, previously worn by other overseas stars in the recent era such as Ben Barba and Lachlan Coote. [136] Hanley was considered by many to be a polarising figure and after several acrimonious disagreements with the St Helens board of directors, he was sacked a month into the following season. 2816. Australian Royce Simmons took over from compatriot Mick Potter for the start of the 2011 season. This was utilised until 1985. Since the end of World War II, St Helens have seen 24 new bosses at the helm at Knowsley Road. @Saints1890 The OFFICIAL Twitter feed of the current World Club Champions and #FOURmidable @SuperLeague Champions | Saints Women: @saints1890women | #COYS Sports, Fitness & Recreation St.Helens saintsrlfc.com Joined November 2009 672 Following 115.3K Followers Replies Media James Roby in action alongside Sam Tomkins for England, Three-peat: St. Helens captain, James Roby, lifts the 2021 Super League trophy for the third year in a row alongside his team-mates Jonny Lomax, Morgan Knowles, Lachlan Coote, Mark Percival, Tommy Makinson and Alex Walsmley. After easily accounting for Catalans Dragons in the semi-final, St Helens played against Wigan in the 2020 Super League Grand Final. [18] The Champion fortunes that St Helens fans' greet today were certainly not apparent in this period, with the club finishing fourth to bottom in 1907,[19] third to bottom in 1908,[20] and consistently midtable between 1909 and 1913. [204] They then went on to defeat Catalan Dragons 1210 in a hotly-contested Grand Final, securing the club's first league and cup double since 2006 and an historic 'three-peat' - becoming only the second team in the summer era to win three consecutive championships. Formed in 1873, St Helens are one of the 22 original members of the Northern Rugby Football Union founded in 1895. ", "Saints vs. Wigan Head-to-Head Since 1895", "Emmitt: Dual System Is Giving Me Confidence", "Toronto Becomes Second CRL Domestic Club", "Original St Helens R.L.F.C.Supporters Club", "RedVee.Net The N1 Independent Saints Website Sponsored By Hattons Solicitors", https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/super-league-average-attendances-for-2018-revealed-and-its-not-good-reading-18712/, "Super League average attendances for 2018 revealed - and it's not good reading! The jersey had a single broad red horizontal band, on a white background, and was used until 1961. Roby has worked under 10 different head coaches at his hometown club, including Justin Holbrook, who coached St Helens in 2019 when they secured their first Grand Final victory in five years. The club also have something of a fan base forming in the Far East, with fans from Singapore and Japan.[250][251]. [230][231], Leeds have arguably the strongest rivalry with St Helens, out of all the Yorkshire clubs that have a history with St Helens. [137][150] Millward then lead Saints to the top of Super League VII, and to reclaim the Super League title in the 2002 Grand Final,[151] Sean Long snatching a last minute 1918 win over the Bradford with a dropgoal. The Recs were based individually at the City Road ground, after previously sharing with St Helens, before their move to Knowsley Road, when neither played rugby league. [145] Ian Millward was appointed as Hanley's successor as head coach. SINK. [7][108] St Helens lost the Floodlit Trophy in the 197879 season, going down to Widnes. [7][102] They also won the Premiership against Salford,[103] and the Floodlit Trophy against Dewsbury in a successful season. [160][161] However, Despite the big names like Meninga, van Vollenhoven, Lyon etc. "James Roby is the greatest player I've ever had the chance to play with," says Makinson. This defeat naturally came as a shock to the St Helens faithful, after so often in the last 15 years seeing the team reach the pinnacle of this competition and go on to win the cup. [179] A trophyless year for the first time since 2003 was another catalyst to Potter's critics abusing and slating his appointment, with even rumours of rifts within the changing rooms. In Prescott's first season as coach he lifted the Lancashire League in the 195960 season. [175] James Graham, on a positive note, made it a hattrick of exBlackbrook Royals to win the Man of Steel Award whilst playing for St Helens. IN. Initially, the St Helens mascots were Bernard and Bernadette, St Bernard dogs; depicting something of a married couple with their on-field humorous antics. [216] All competitive games, i.e. [61][111] However, his spell as coach was not nearly as successful as his spell as a player, and St Helens won nothing whilst under Coslett's command, finishing mid-table in both seasons. Golding, Senior Tries Hurrell, Makinson. [61], Under Millward, St Helens quickly became the most exciting team in the competition, playing expansive, attacking rugby. [233][234] However, the derby is often noted for its bad behaviouron and off the field. 31 March 2023 31 March 2023. As he prepares to step out against the Leeds Rhinos at Headingley, Roby's current St. Helens team-mate, Tommy Makinson, is relishing the opportunity to take to the pitch with the Saints captain in his landmark 500th game on Friday, placing the St Helens No.9 as the best player he has lined up alongside. St Helens are the oldest members of the Rugby Football League. [225], Saints contested several finals in the modern game with Bradford Bulls, following up from their vast successes respectively in previous decades. Principal Club Partners. St Helens have also forged links with the Canada Rugby League (CRL) and their team Toronto City Saints, who have adopted the popular piece of St Helens insignia in their crest. [33][34][35][36][37][38][39], The club defeated town rivals the Recs in the Lancashire County Cup Final by 10 points to 2 in the 192627 season. Especially recently, with incidents like the Ryan Bailey "chicken wing" tackle on Maurie Fa'asavalu in 2008, the presence of James Graham when the two meet, as well as the numerous fights that have broken out between the two sets of players, the game is certainly regarded as a feisty one, as well as one that produces entertaining rugby. [88], The 1970s were also seen as a successful spell for St Helens, as they reached three Challenge Cup finals in the period. Academy graduates, Jon Bennison (27), Lewis Baxter (28) Jumah Sambou (30), and Taylor Pemberton (31) along with new signing Danny Hill (29) round out the squad numbers. "He has time for everyone and is always there for anyone who needs him. [123] Nothing was achieved in the next two seasons,[124][125] including a defeat in the 1989 Challenge Cup Final[126] and Murphy stood down as coach. You've made a. Since making his debut against Widnes in 2004, the sight of James Roby in the red and white vee is one St Helens fans have become used to. [2] St Helens are founding members of the Super League and are one of only four teams to have appeared in every season since its creation in 1996. [26], During the First World War, St Helens struggled to compete and failed to complete the full fixture list of the Emergency War League on two occasions,[27][28][29] with the club finishing midtable in the first year of the war,[30] as well as being beaten by 37 points to 3 by Huddersfield in that year's Challenge Cup Final. [219] The two have traditionally met each other in the Magic Weekend too. ST HELENS vs HULL FC - Rugby sevens is another type of rugby that has just seven players per side. Wigan and St Helens have also met in 4 Premiership Finals, Wigan winning 3, St Helens once,[129][130][142][143] 3 Lancashire County Cup Finals, St Helens winning two, Wigan one,[128][217][218] and one Floodlit Trophy Final in 1968, Wigan winning 74. Jake Wingfield (19), Josh Simm (21), Ben Davies (22), Dan Norman (24), Matty Foster (25) and Sam Royle (26) all move up in number from the 2021 season. St Helens would go on to win the World Club Challenge game 13-12 in golden point extra-time to claim their third trophy in the competition. [154] In this season, they failed to win a trophy after being knocked out of the Challenge Cup by Leeds at the semifinal stage, and the Super League playoffs by Wigan at the same stage. [165], In December 2006 St Helens were awarded with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Team Award at the Annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year Ceremony. "He is the easiest player to work with as a coach. With assistant coach Kieron Purtill also leaving, the coaching reins were taken up by youth coach Mike Rush for the remainder of the 2012 season, with Keiron Cunningham acting as his assistant. "He is the greatest this game has seen and it will be a pleasure to share the field with him in his 500th.". Proudly founded in 1873. [84] St Helens retained the Lancashire Cup the year later,[85] whilst also winning the Lancashire League for being the highest placed Lancashire side in the National standings,[86] and they also reached the final of the Floodlit Trophy that season, where they were beaten 74 by Wigan. "I have had the pleasure of being at Robes's side for the past 20 years since he first came into the St Helens first-team environment," said Wellens. New signings Will Hopoate and Joey Lussick will wear numbers three and 14 respectively ,with Curtis Sironen taking number 16 and James Bell wearing the number 20. This article is about the English rugby league team. [194] However, for the fourth year running, St Helens once more proved flops in the Grand Final. [134][135] The lack of trophies in the St Helens cabinet, after the club had suddenly become so accustomed to success, would need to change in the "new" brand Super League that formed in 1996; hence Hughes' departure in 1996 and replacement with Australian Shaun McRae.[61]. FT. HT 6-12. Kel Coslett has made the most career appearances for St Helens, having . The fixture was played at the Saints temporary home at Widnes. [107] In 1978 Leeds avenged their 1972 loss against St Helens, emerging winners by 1412. THAT. The RFL, as well as the RFU, have had a. [143] 1998 proved to be a trophyless year,[144] and Ellery Hanley succeeded McRae in 1999, after the Australian left for new Super League side Gateshead. Close player. St Helens scores, results and fixtures on BBC Sport. They did not compete in the National Championship until a 17 team Emergency War League was formed in the 194142 season,[50] and did not win any regional honours. In fact, it was only in the 1950s that St Helens won their first Challenge Cup and National League, and at this time, when St Helens were establishing themselves and improving in the 1950s, and 1960s, Bradford were disproving, and in fact folded in 1963. With only seconds remaining and with the scores locked at 4-4, St Helens scored a try after the siren through Jack Welsby to win back to back championships in the most dramatic of circumstances. Home Kit ; Away Kit ; TRAINING. [196] It was not the romantic finish to the Saints careers of Potter, Cunningham or any of the departing members of the squad that many had hoped for, but nevertheless, a new era was just around the corner, as Simmons' reign began.