‘Manipulating the rules’ – Pundits debate controversial disallowed St Helens try

St Helens missed out on a home play-off game as they lost 18-12 to Leigh Leopards in an incredibly physical game at the Leigh Sports Village.

Leigh Leopards led 12-0 at the half before Saints clawed their way back into the game as they used their man advantage following Ricky Leutele’s sin bin. With the scores level, the game was set for a grandstand finish and the deadlock was broken by Josh Charnley who drew level with Danny McGuire in the all-time Super League try-scoring charts.

It meant Leigh would leapfrog St Helens and confirm a second consecutive fifth-place finish whilst Saints slipped to sixth and missed out on the chance of a home play-off tie against Salford.

Leigh were deserving winners but the game hinged on a controversial ‘No try’ call in the first half that went against St Helens, despite being given on the field.

Tommy Makinson looked to have scored in the corner but video referee Ben Thaler brought it back after he judged Sione Mata’utia to have impeded Leigh defender Lachlan Lam, a decision that was heavily criticised by those in the Sky Sports studio.

Were St Helens unlucky to see try ruled out?

Assessing the controversial decision at half-time on Sky Sports, Sam Tomkins explained: “It was a really well-executed play and everyone on the Saints side thought they’d scored. I thought it was a try.”

He went on to add: “Lachlan Lam knows exactly what he’s doing there. He knows if he gets bumped, it’s going to get scratched off. In a million years he isn’t affecting that, he (Makinson) would have scored anyway.”

Former St Helens captain Jon Wilkin agreed, claiming that it highlighted a bigger problem of players potentially trying to ‘manipulate the rules’.

“I think it raises the question about the tightness of defenders. Lachlan Lam intentionally starts tight to manipulate that situation. It’s smart from him.

“He’s manipulating the rules in his favour. Start tight, run into somebody, penalty, no try.”

With that try scratched off, Leigh would go on to take a 12-0 lead which was ultimately the foundation of their win and it begs a major question of whether St Helens were hard done by or not.

Paul Wellens noted the call in his post-match interview but conceded that calls go for and against you, with the Red Vee potentially on the fortunate end to see Ricky Leutele sin-binned in the second half.

As it is, St Helens will now travel to face Warrington Wolves next Saturday in the first round of the play-offs.