St Helens v Halifax: rugby league prediction, free tips and when to watch

TV: BBC2, 4.30pm Saturday

For the second straight season, St Helens are bossing the Betfred Super League and they are well on course to repeat their domestic treble of 2006.

The League Leaders’ Shield is all but in the bag and Saints are odds-on for the Grand Final and for Wembley glory in the Coral Challenge Cup.

Last year, Saints surprisingly fell to Catalans in the cup semi-finals and it will a massive shock if a similar fate befalls rugby league’s dominant force again.

The league-leaders are 1-50 to see off mid-table Championship side Halifax and asked to concede a 40-point handicap.

Fax are the first second-tier club to reach the last four since 2006 when Hull KR were thrashed 50-0 by Saints and something similar seems likely. The Super League table-toppers are 7-2 to triumph without conceding a point.

St Helens boss Justin Holbrook took no chances, resting all his stars for last week’s match at London, and all will return on Saturday.

Plenty of pundits believe the record winning margin at this stage, Wigan’s 70-0 annihilation of London six years ago, is under threat and Martin Offiah’s record individual haul of five tries set in 1992 could also be in jeopardy.

Saints wingers Tommy Makinson and Regan Grace are both 100-30 to bag a hat-trick.

Halifax will look to the mercurial Scott Murrell to inspire a 50-1 miracle.

The former Leeds playmaker has recovered from whiplash and will hope to repeat his performance in the win at Bradford in the previous round.

This is a massive step up in class and since that win, Fax have won only once in seven league attempts.

It seems the only thing that can stop Saints running up a cricket score is a monsoon, and rain is forecast.

The favourites should still win with ease but the weather warning is enough to advise keeping stakes reasonably small.

Backing Saints to exceed 48 points with Paddy Power looks the pick of the punts on offer.

Recommendation
St Helens to score more than 48 points
3pts 10-11 Paddy Power
Bet on this market with Paddy Power here

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