St Helens have started the World Club Challenge brilliantly against Penrith Panthers after being written off.
That said, St Helens wasted the first opportunity of the game. After a Penrith error invited pressure, the Saints had three repeat sets but two poor grubber kicks squandered the first attack.
Then immediately, Taylan May made a break down the left for Penrith and eventually a Stephen Crichton kick caused chaos for the Saints until Will Hopoate dealt with it.
As the rain picked up, a quick play the ball from Alex Walmsley had Penrith stretched and a lovely ball from Jonny Lomax allowed Curtis Sironen to tear through and he found Jack Welsby in support to score.
After scoring the opener, Welsby, helped by the returning Morgan Knowles, produced a stunning try saver on Nathan Cleary to stop him short turn him on his back and force the ball loose.
As the rain intensified and the lighting started to flash around the pitch, Konrad Hurrell hit the ball short down the blind side like a crack of thunder to tear through the Penrith defence short range to score.
It is Paul Wellens’ first game in charge but he has some help with former coach Kristian Woolf sat in the coaches’ box with him alongside Laurent Frayssinous.
Woolf is now assistant at The Dolphins, the NRL’s newest club, and will take over from former England coach Wayne Bennett.
However, he is kitted out in St Helens kit today and is seemingly help mastermind what is a vintage performance after becoming the first Super League coach to win three consecutive Grand Finals.
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