St Helens storm back from 10 down to crush Wakefield 46-16

St Helens scored 34 unanswered second-half points to turn a 10-point deficit into a 46-16 rout of Wakefield Trinity at Belle Vue, reigniting their Betfred Super League play-off push in the process.

At half-time, the match looked anything but a stroll. Wakefield had racked up 16 points through tries from Smoothy, Vagana and Sinfield, with Sinfield adding two goals. St Helens trailed and looked set for another damaging afternoon in a frustrating season. They had won just once in their previous seven matches (BBC Sport).

Whatever head coach Paul Rowley said at the interval, his players responded. Tristan Sailor led the charge with a hat-trick, Lewis Murphy and Jake Davies each grabbed two tries, and Billy Keeley marked his first score for the club. Hastings kicked seven goals to pile on the points. By full-time, St Helens had run in eight tries and recorded their biggest win of the season so far (BBC Sport).

For a club that claimed four straight Super League titles between 2019 and 2022, this campaign has been a grind. Going into the match, St Helens sat six points adrift of the play-off places with five fixtures remaining (Super League). The victory at Belle Vue, their second over Wakefield this season after an 18-12 win in April, narrows the gap to sixth-placed Leigh Leopards to four points with four matches left.

Wakefield, meanwhile, missed the chance to guarantee their play-off spot. A 22-24 defeat by Leeds Rhinos the previous Friday had already stalled their momentum, and this second successive home loss leaves the door ajar for the chasing pack. It is a sharp dip for a side who had been flying at their own ground, having won their previous two Super League home fixtures (Super League).

In rugby league, a team gets six tackles to advance the ball before handing over possession — the relentless arithmetic of field position and completion rates that shapes every match. St Helens mastered that equation in the second half, completing their sets, pinning Wakefield deep, and striking whenever the field tilted in their favour.

The task ahead is steep but straightforward for Rowley's side. Four matches, four points to make up. For Wakefield, the equation is different but no less urgent: confirm their play-off place before the margin for error disappears.