Hello and welcome to the rugby report page.I am your guide to the rugby league.This is my first one so forgive me if some things are wrong or not organised at all.

There is only one match from Thursday 26th where Hull was at home against Wakefield.

Hull dominated the game running out the winers by 40
points. Final score:

• Hull 44
• Wakefield 4

Friday 27th

There were two matches today and one is our Featured Game; The Bradford Bulls taking on St Helens.

The other game was Wigan at home - the visitors were the Castleford
Tigers.

The lead was back and forth for the majority of the game but the home team were lifted by the win last week over the Bulls at the fortress Odsal stadium. Final score was:

• Wigan 24
• Castleford 10

Welcome to a very wet Yorkshire where it has been raining all day
and you can bet, with the new six panel ball, that there will be some misstakes made. Bradford are looking to stop a third successive loss at home. The Saints are looking to get their season back on track after a
poor start - Although they won at home against no less then the Bradford Bulls. Let's see how the teams look today:

Bradford Bulls

Backs

• (1) Robbie Paul (c)
• (20) Scot Nailer
• (2) Teviter Vikona
• (4) Shantony Hapy
• (3) Leon Price
• (5) Lesley Vainikolo
• (7) Paul Decon

• (8) Joe Vangona
• (9) James Lows
• (29) Stuart Fielden
• (11) Daniel Gardner
• (12) Jamie Peacock
• (13) Mike Forshaw

• (10) Paul Anderson
• (15) Karl Prat
• (14) Lee Gilmore
• (18) Lee Radford
• Brian Noble

St Helens

Backs

• (2) Anthony Stewart
• (5) Darren Albert
• (3) Martin Gleeson
• (1) Paul Wellens
• (19) Adrian Gardner
• (7) Sean Long
• (14) Mick Higham

• (8) Darren Brit
• (9) Keiron Cunningham
• (26) Keith Mason
• (16) Darren Smith
• (17) Mike Benett
• (13) Paul Sculthorp(C)

• (6) Jason Hooper
• (10) Barry Ward
• (11) Chris Joynt
• (15) Tim Jonkers
• Ian Millward

1^st Half

It was set to be a tough encounter between two of the best in the Super League.

The tackles came in thick, fast and hard as both teams
looked to assert their dominance in the game. Thanks to Keith Mason dropping the ball early, the Bulls got possession, but could not use the muscles that they are famed for having to get over the line to open their account. Just as both teams were finding their feet in the game Sean Long kicked a 40-20 dead on the 11^th minute.

It only took the visitors another 30 seconds to score when Micky Higham dodged his way through to get a try.

The conversion was then kicked by Sean Long.

St Helens 6 Bulls 0

Shortly after, Saints were over again after Paul Decon waited too long to get a grubber kick through. That was intercepted by Mick Higham who was off and running and no one from the Bulls could get close to him after that.

Sean Long converted.

St Helens 12 Bulls 0

Bulls had some good possession but, whatever questions that was asked
by the Bulls, Saints had an answer for. Just to make matters worse, Saints got through after a long kick to Vainikolo was lost in the 33^rd minute only to be picked up and taken over the line
by Darren Albert.

Converted by Sean Long to add 6 more points.

St Helens 18 Bulls 0

They could have had more with James Lows giving away a penalty,
but Sean Long could not get it over the bar to add two more points. Saints used the kick and chase expertly this time, catching a pass by Leon Price which Joynt picked up and took over.

Sean Long could not get it over to add two more points.

At half time the score was:
St Helens 22 Bulls 0

2^nd Half

A very pleased Ian Millward was calling for the same again from his players whilst Brian Noble was calling for his players to make a good start to the second half and to get into the match early to have any chance of geting back into the game. Nobles' men must have missed Nobles war cry because a kick from Scunthorp that should have been caught by Robbie Pauls was dropped giving Saints perfect position from the start of the first half. Paul Scunthorp knew how to get to the Bulls try line and did.

Long had no problem kicking the extras.

St Helens 28 Bulls 0

Saints were in again in the 48^th minute of the game. A mistake by Stuart Fielden gave Hooper a try.

Converted by Sean Long.

St Helens 34 Bulls 0

Tempers flaired as James Lows had a set-to with Barry Ward which was no more than hand bags at 3 paces really. But there was to be more misfortune in the 53^rd minute as Robbie Paul was taken off with a fractured arm which could see the New Zealander out for
the rest of the season. The best chance in the match for the Bulls came in the 62^nd minute when Vainikolo reached over the line but could not touch it down to claim the try. Vainikolo and Price
were very lucky not to have given a gift to Higham after colliding
trying to claim the same ball. Higham was judged to have dropped the ball before grounding it properly.

More tempers flaired after Smith seemed to attempt a spear on Paul Decon. Vainikolo took exception to the attempt and lashed out. Long then kicked a field goal to put the result out of Bulls reach. The final score at Odsal stadium was:

St Helens 35 Bulls 0

• Halifax 16 London 50
• Widness 29 Leeds 14
• Warrington 32 Huddersfield 28

• Friday 4^th July
  
  St Helens v Widnes - Kick-off 8pm
• Saturday 5^th July
  
  London v Hull - Kick-off 6pm
• Sunday 6^th July
  
  Leeds v Warrington - Kick-off 3pm
  
  Castleford v Halifax - Kick-off 3:30pm
  
  Wakefield v Bradford - Kick-off 3:30pm
  
  Huddersfield v Wigan - Kick-off 5:30pm

Next week I will have a full report on the origin game played at Odsal Stadium on Wednesday 2^nd July. I will be giving the results of the games played in the Super League and picking out another game to feature.

INTERN

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