Kristian Woolf believes St Helens can get even better

St Helens coach Kristian Woolf says the best is yet to come from the reigning Super League champions and Challenge Cup holders.

The Saints cruised into the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup on Saturday after beating Catalans Dragons 36-20 in Perpignan.

Speaking to the BBC after the game, Woolf said he believed his side could produce even more than they are doing currently.

Woolf said: “I am really happy with it. We haven’t had much success with our last two trips here and we obviously handled that a lot better and came up with a tough win against a tough team. I’m really happy with that side of things.

“I don’t want that comment (about producing more) to come across the wrong way, I mean that as a positive in that we’ve got a lot more in us.

“It took us 20 minutes to get into the game, settle and be us. That is probably a sign of nerves and there is a lot on the line and the Challenge Cup is a tough competition for that reason, it is a knockout at every stage so it does get to the nerves a bit and I thought we showed that early but once we settled down into the game and settled down to being us, I thought we were well on top. That certainly showed in those periods just before half-time and after half-time.”

St Helens boss hails Jack Welsby

Woolf was full of praise for 21-year-old Jack Welsby, who produced a inspirational performance from his role at full-back.

Woolf said: “I thought his first half was exceptional. I’ve waxed lyrical about him plenty of times, he’s an exceptional football player and an exceptional person as well and that’s why he is going to be so good.

“He wants to improve, he wants to get better, he wants to compete hard.

“Jack ticks all the boxes you want in a player and in a young man, so I was really happy with his first 40 minutes. He didn’t have quite the impact in the second 40 as he did in the first 40 but you’ve got to remember he’s 21. He’s been on of our better players in every game and he is only going to get better as well.”

St Helens will meet either Hull KR, Huddersfield or Wakefield/Wigan in the Challenge Cup semi-finals.

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