Millward praises Saints style

Sculthorpe earned a rave review from his coach

St Helens coach Ian Millward paid tribute to his players after they completed a stunning 27-22 Silk Cut Challenge Cup semi-final victory over a gallant Leeds at Wigan's JJB Stadium.

The Rhinos had looked down and out at half-time with a 16-6 deficit on the scoreboard.

But they stormed back in a memorable second-half that looked like going to extra-time until a late Tommy Martyn drop-goal and Paul Sculthorpe try finally seal the clash.

"Leeds have made the last two Challenge Cup finals and they have won one so I knew that they would keep coming back," said Millward.

Martyn beat Hay to score in the first-half

"I thought it was a great game and Leeds were never going to give in, but neither were we.

"But we don't have a gameplan - we just go out and play. Off the cuff rugby, that's all we do. It's pretty easy to coach these guys."

Millward made a particular point of praising loose forward Sculthorpe - just back from a broken jaw - who made two crucial interceptions and scored the injury-time try that finally ended the valiant Rhinos effort.

"Paul is such an outstanding player," said the Australian, who steered Saints to Grand Final glory last season.

"He shouldn't be playing at the moment because he has a plate in his jaw.

"He is one of the best young talents in the world. Paul is a joy to coach and these guys love playing with him.

I thought it was a great game and Leeds were never going to give in, but neither were we.

  Ian Millward

Millward was less pleased with the Barrie McDermott first-half punch that resulted in Saints second-row Peter Shiels leaving the pitch.

"It would have been a tragedy if we had lost because of that," he said.

"Peter is unconscious in the dressing rooms. It is a good time to borrow money off him.

"We are happy, but we are not putting the cart before the horse. The World Club Challenge came first. Next it's the Challenge Cup Final and then the Super League Grand Final."

Rhinos boss Dean Lance was dignified in defeat. But he did point to the fact that a late change of matchball had not helped matters.

"I am disappointed with the scoreline but not with the effort," he said.

"It was a great effort, although maybe we got a little bit impatient towards the end and lost our discipline on the ball.

I am disappointed with the scoreline but not with the effort

  Dean Lance

"A good team beat us but we could have won. We are a better team than last year which makes it all the more disappointing.

"But nobody died out there, it's a game of rugby, we'll get on with our business.

"When Tommy Martyn spilled the ball late on over the tryline I thought the gods were maybe smiling on us, but it was not to be. There are no hard feelings in our camp.

"I was not happy that we were given new balls to play with 20 minutes before the start, though.

"We have been practising with the eight panel ones all week and then they give us four-panel ones - I don't know why, maybe it's a sponsorship thing. I don't think either camp was happy with that."