Tinkering required for Castleford Tigers to bounce back from Saints defeat

Hooker Paul McShane conceded Castleford Tigers' winning run was ended because St Helens played better '˜cup final' rugby.
Castleford's Paul McShane in action against St Helens on Thursday night.
 Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeCastleford's Paul McShane in action against St Helens on Thursday night.
 Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Castleford's Paul McShane in action against St Helens on Thursday night. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Saints inflicted a first league defeat on the leaders in 13 games when producing an impressive 26-12 victory on Thursday night.

The Super 8s opener also brought a halt to Castleford’s winning sequence at home which had stretched for more than a year.

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Daryl Powell’s side, normally so slick in attack and favourites to lift a first title this season, had little success in breaking them down.

BEATEN: Castleford's players trudge off after losing to St Helens. 
Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeBEATEN: Castleford's players trudge off after losing to St Helens. 
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
BEATEN: Castleford's players trudge off after losing to St Helens. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

“Their ‘d’ (defence) was outstanding,” admitted McShane. “Their scramble ‘d’ especially, working hard from the inside, meant we couldn’t really get around them.

“But it’s how we play. We just need to tinker with it and, hopefully, next week it will come off.

“We will learn from it, 100 per cent. You need to be playing like you are playing in a final every week now.

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“I think Saints did that better than us and they came out with the win.”

BEATEN: Castleford's players trudge off after losing to St Helens. 
Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeBEATEN: Castleford's players trudge off after losing to St Helens. 
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
BEATEN: Castleford's players trudge off after losing to St Helens. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Castleford, who would have sealed a home semi-final with victory, still require three wins from their remaining six Super 8s games to confirm the League Leaders’ Shield.

They head to Salford Red Devils on Friday and McShane added: “We see it as a new competition now and every team we come up against is a tough team to play.

“We just fell short Thursday. We made a few errors and a few knock-ons which we didn’t need but, hopefully, we can kick on next week.”

Salford’s form has dipped in recent weeks.

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Castleford beat them 38-14 in their penultimate regular round and, going into the Super 8s, they had won just once in seven league games as well as being dumped out of the Challenge Cup semi-finals by Wigan Warriors.

But McShane, 27, insisted: “They are still a quality side.

“They have some real quality in their squad and we can’t take anything for granted.

“They beat us at their place at the start of this year so hopefully we can go over there and get back to winning ways.”