Jack Welsby has spoken publicly for the first time since St Helens parted ways with head coach Paul Rowley, with the full-back revealing that players feel ‘embarrassed’ over the coach’s exit.
Saints confirmed that Rowley had left the club at 11:00 am on Thursday, just a day in advance of the derby against Wigan with assistant coach Eamon O’Carroll leading the team for that game.
Whilst St Helens showed fight, they went on to lose 38-16 though Welsby was one of the standout performers and he spoke post-match to Sky Sports to share his thoughts on a whirlwind 36 hours.
On the result, he said: “Obviously a bit disappointed. I think we’re right in the game at half-time and then we just didn’t start well in the second half.
“With what’s going on and stuff, I can be proud of our efforts but ultimately, this is a game that we came here to win and we’ve lost by quite big margin in a Saints-Wigan derby, so the overriding feeling is pretty disappointed.”
As for how we felt the side had responded given the circumstances, Welsby said: “As best as we could, I think. We obviously found out yesterday and went out and trained in a captain’s run and the boys nailed it.
“I think our senior boys really led and the young lads don’t need an invitation to follow so it was as good as it could have been.”
Paul Rowley ‘let down’ by St Helens players
Welsby would also admit that the playing group had let Paul Rowley down given their performances, explaining that they must first look inwards.
“It’s tough news to take,” he said, adding: “A lot of lads gutted and embarrassed, really, because we let him down. To go out there and do what we did in the first half, there is some things to hold on to, but obviously we’ve got a lot to improve on if we want to make the playoffs.”
Pushed on how the players let down their coach, Welsby said: “Just our performances, I think. At the end of the day, he doesn’t go on the pitch and play. I’m pretty sure if we’d have won as many games as Wigan had won, then we wouldn’t be getting sacked.
“We always have to look inwards before we look outwards, especially as a playing group. I think this is a good time to reflect on that this weekend.”
He also paid tribute to the St Helens fan base, 1,700 of whom had travelled to Wigan: “It’s immense. Obviously, it’s not been a great week for them either, so to see them in the numbers that they’ve brought again tonight and what we see at home week in, week out, it’s exceptional.
“We’ve got some really special young kids coming through here and to see them getting the appreciation they deserve at the end is a nice touch.”
Now sat outside the play-offs, St Helens have seven games to save their season and Welsby has urged unity among the playing group.
“We’ve got to come together. I’d like to think we’ve been together all year, but obviously now more than ever we’re going to need a strong bond.
“I think that’s something Freddie (Eamon O’Carroll’s nickname) is going to bring in. Obviously, we had it with Rowls, but like I said, it’s going to have to be a really tough, tight-knit group and get our heads down and play well. I hope we get some results going away.”
