Super League 2015 Week 1 St Helens 18-7 Catalan

St Helens 18

Tries: Vea, Turner, Savelio, Makinson Goals: Makinson

Catalans Dragons 7

Tries: Pelissier Goals: Bosc Drops: Bosc Champions St Helens made a winning start to their Super League title defence in a bruising, fiery home victory against Catalans Dragons. It also marked a successful start to coach Keiron Cunningham's tenure, having replaced the departed Nathan Brown for the 2015 campaign. Saints trailed 7-6 at half time after Eloi Pelissier's try and a Thomas Bosc drop cancelled out Atelea Vea's score. Jordan Turner, Andre Savelio and Tommy Makinson tries sealed Saints' win. The home side had thrashed Catalans on this ground in the play-off semi-finals last season but found a much fresher Catalans harder to beat, despite early setbacks for the visitors. Vea polished off a slick left-to-right move at the other end for Saints but Catalans did claw ahead when Pelissier sneaked over from close-in after Greg Richards was sent to the sin-bin on the back of a string of penalties, and Bosc landed a late drop goal. However Saints showed their champion spirit in the second period with Turner's try that owed much to Jonny Lomax's well-timed pass, and then survived a ruled-out Pelissier score shortly after. Adam Swift had a second try disallowed by the referee, after a similarly ruled-out score in the first period. Catalans' Michael Oldfield was sin-binned after he denied Lomax a certain score, but Savelio crossed, and another sliding move got Makinson in for his first of the campaign as tempers flared late on.