St Helens 57 Wigan 16: Long adds touch of magic to Saints' complete mastery

(PA)

Since leaving his hometown club, Sean Long has produced some of his best displays against Wigan and he did it again here in Cardiff last night.

The former Great Britain scrum-half amassed 27 points from three tries, seven goals and a drop goal, as Saints put their neighbours to the sword in the final match of Millennium Magic weekend.

Long was not alone, because this was close to a complete Saints performance. "I thought we were getting in the mood to put that on someone," said their coach, Daniel Anderson. "That is the best team I've been able to put on the field all season."

The Wigan coach, Brian Noble, called the first half, during which his side conceded 35 points, "embarrassing. We just didn't compete and Saints capitalised," he said. "We should be a whole lot better than that."

The first half was agony for Wigan, who were ruthlessly dismantled from the opening minutes. A penalty conceded in the tackle by George Carmont let Long through for the Saints' opening try.

Jason Cayless' perfect offload to John Wilkin created the next, although Wigan were perhaps unlucky that Francis Meli's long-range effort soon after avoided being chalked off for offside.

There was no dispute, however, about the brilliant swivelling kick with which Matt Gidley set up the next for Ade Gardner.

Long and Lee Gilmour sliced Wigan apart down their right flank for Willie Talau to go in and Leon Pryce's pass sent Long 70 metres for his second.

Long's drop-goal immediately before half-time was not strategy, it was satire.

Tries by Thomas Leuluai, Harrison Hansen and Mickey Higham restored a little Wigan pride but Long completed his hat-trick and Talau, Gardner and Gilmour completed the rout.

Despite the success of this year's Millennium Magic weekend, with the total attendance up by 6,000 to 63,000, the Rugby League is threatening to take it to Murrayfield in 2009. The League is privately disappointed with the Millennium Stadium's lack of promotion for the event, while the steep rates in Cardiff hotels have been a major irritant for supporters.

Those who shelled out for the full weekend saw a mixed bag of matches on the Saturday. Warrington came back from 22-6 down to beat Huddersfield, but Wakefield thrashed Castleford 54-16.

Leeds were also too good for Bradford, setting up a 40-26 victory to keep them five points clear at the top of the Super League table.

St Helens: Wellens; Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli; Pryce, Long; Cayless, Cunningham, Graham, Gilmour, Flannery, Wilkin. Substitutes used: Roby, Bennett, Hargreaves, Clough.

Wigan: Mathers; Colbon, Goulding, Carmont, Richards; Barrett, Leuluai; Fielden, Higham, Prescott, Hansen, Coley, O'Loughlin. Substitutes used: Coyle, Palea'aesina, Tomkins, O'Carroll.

Referee: P Bentham (Warrington).