Super League roundup: St Helens thrash Leeds to keep heat on Wigan

Regan Grace scored a magnificent hat-trick to help the reigning champions, St Helens, thrash Leeds and move to within two points of Wigan at the top of the Super League table.

The Wales international scored three solo tries of the highest order to not only open his account for the season but ensure the Saints were far too strong for their patched-up opponents.

Kristian Woolf’s side were assured of victory by half-time. They led 24-0 at the break against an out-of-sorts Leeds side courtesy of tries from James Graham, Alex Walmsley, Tommy Makinson and the outstanding Grace, who produced a mazy run to score his first of the night.

Related: 'They will go to hell and back': a taste of Super League-style fitness training | Aaron Bower

He claimed his second shortly after the restart with a stunning one-handed finish before running the length of the field for his hat-trick. Grace rounded numerous Rhinos defenders in the process to underline his own talent and the vast difference between the sides. St Helens had lost three of their first five games bfore lockdown but have had comfortable victories against Catalans and Leeds since the restart.

A bulldozing run from Walmsley led to the forward providing a perfect pass for Théo Fages to score St Helens’ seventh try before Lachlan Coote scored their eighth in the final seconds to make it 48-0. Leeds failed to score at home for the first time in Super League history on a miserable evening for Richard Agar’s side.

Salford produced a standout performance to inflict a heavy defeat on Hull’s interim coach, Andy Last, in his first game in charge. Last had waited five months to take charge of Hull following the dismissal of Lee Radford but he will be keen to forget his inaugural match as the coach, a 54-18 defeat.

Hull conceded 10 tries, with Ken Sio, Tui Lolohea and Rhys Williams all claiming two tries apiece. Wigan were the other winners in Sunday’s triple-header, surviving a late fightback from Wakefield Trinity to win 23-22 courtesy of a drop-goal from the teenage half-back Harry Smith.

Wigan lead 22-6 with 14 minutes remaining and seemed on course for a comfortable win before two tries from Liam Kay and a magnificent solo effort from Tom Johnstone threatened a remarkable comeback. Smith’s late intervention settled Wigan’s nerves and ensured they would go two points clear at the top.