Castleford try hero Eden has Solomona in sights

GREG EDEN may not get as much publicity for the five tries he scored here as the solitary one the man he essentially replaced did for England's rugby union side on Saturday night.
Mike McMeekenMike McMeeken
Mike McMeeken

However, neither he nor his club will care one jot if the prolific winger continues in this vein for the Super League leaders who have suddenly opened up an encouraging six-point gap over their nearest rivals.

Sale Sharks wideman Denny Solomona – who controversially left Castleford last autumn –scored the match-winning try with his first touch on debut for England during the 38-34 Test win against Argentina in San Juan.

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Most people thought the West Yorkshire club would miss him given he scored a club record 42 tries last term.

Tigers' Greg Eden with Michael Shenton after Eden scored the second of his first-half hat-trick.Tigers' Greg Eden with Michael Shenton after Eden scored the second of his first-half hat-trick.
Tigers' Greg Eden with Michael Shenton after Eden scored the second of his first-half hat-trick.

However, Eden is now well on course to surpass the New Zealander’s total having scored five more tries yesterday to inflict yet more woe on troubled Warrington Wolves who stay marooned in the bottom four.

The afternoon was all supposed to be about Castleford’s redoubtable Andy Lynch making his 500th career appearance but his free-scoring team-mate just simply cannot help himself.

Lynch, the 37-year-old prop who also announced on the eve of his milestone game he will retire at the end of this season, did what he has done ever since his 1999 debut; grafted tirelessly and worked his socks off to allow his more eye-catching colleagues to shine.

And it was Eden, yet again, who did just that.

Greg Eden and Zak HardakerGreg Eden and Zak Hardaker
Greg Eden and Zak Hardaker
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His latest haul was a club game record in the summer era and joint-best in their history – five others including John Joyner, St John Ellis and Ian French have done the same – while, remarkably, it was his fifth hat-trick in his last six outings.

The 26-year-old now has 33 tries in 19 games this term, 18 of which have, incredibly, come in those previous six matches alone.

It was Castleford’s eighth successive win ahead of a mouthwatering Challenge Cup quarter-final at holders Hull FC next Sunday, but the game was essentially over for struggling Warrington with only a quarter of it gone following a horribly expensive sin-binning of their captain Chris Hill.

The prop was yellow-carded -–perhaps harshly – for a late challenge on his England colleague Luke Gale in the 11th minute.

Andy LynchAndy Lynch
Andy Lynch
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Warrington trailed just 4-0 at that point, Eden having sneaked in front of Kevin Penny to take Gale’s dropping kick, but, by the time Hill returned, they were 20-0 behind.

Eden got his second after a wonderfully worked move involving Gale and Zak Hardaker saw Michael Shenton ease into space.

Gale slotted the first of his four goals and, when Warrington’s teenage debutant full-back Will Dagger (who, ironically, hails from Castleford) over-hit his re-start, they were in again, Mike McMeeken’s soft hands sending Greg Minkin over for his 17th of the season. England second-row McMeeken then swiftly added his own when Nathan Massey bumped off defenders and surged up the middle for Gale to provide the link.

Hill returned to the field to witness irreparable damage although, clearly, they improved with him back on and, with their first real attack of note in the 31st minute, responded with Tom Lineham’s 100th career try that Declan Patton improved.

Tigers' Greg Eden with Michael Shenton after Eden scored the second of his first-half hat-trick.Tigers' Greg Eden with Michael Shenton after Eden scored the second of his first-half hat-trick.
Tigers' Greg Eden with Michael Shenton after Eden scored the second of his first-half hat-trick.
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They also thought Grant Millington – Castleford’s Australian forward making his 200th career appearance – should have been carded, too, for an off-the-ball challenge on Dagger although that looked more accidental.

Depleted Warrington’s respite was only brief; Benny Roberts skipped away beautifully to kick on for Hardaker and, though the England full-back was denied, second-row Jesse Sene-Lefao showed great awareness and patience to send out a long pass to furnish Eden with his treble for a 26-6 interval lead.

He added his fourth and fifth early in the second period, the latter after another sublime assist from Shenton, before Castleford lost some of their shine during a scrappy final quarter.

Joe Westerman crossed for Warrington and, even with Lineham in the sin-bin for a professional foul on Minikin, Jack Hughes did, too, in the 72nd minute. Castleford prop Junior Moors limped off with a knee injury which looks likely to keep him out of the cup tie at Hull, but Gadwin Springer and Jake Webster should return.

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Castleford Tigers: Hardaker; Monaghan, Minikin, Shenton, Eden; Roberts, Gale; Lynch, McShane, Millington, Sene-Lefao, McMeeken, Massey. Substitutes: Milner, Moors, Holmes, Foster.

Warrington Wolves: Dagger; Penny, Ratchford, Blythe, Lineham; Patton, Westerman; Hill, Clark, Sims, Julien, Hughes. Cooper. Substitutes: Dwyer, King, Savelio, Philibin.

Referee: James Child (Dewsbury).