St Helens coach Paul Wellens addresses fan confrontation amid mounting pressure following Leeds Rhinos loss
St Helens head coach Paul Wellens conceded he is under a “huge amount of pressure” after watching his side slump to their third Betfred Super League defeat in a row against Leeds Rhinos at Magic Weekend.
Wellens was confronted by an angry supporter as he made his way from the stands immediately after the game, in which a pair of early tries from Riley Lumb and Lachie Miller paved the way for the Rhinos’ 17-4 win.
A clearly shaken Wellens said: “I am going to continue to conduct myself in the right way despite being under a huge amount of pressure.
“If people want to behave in a certain way, let them do that, if that’s the way they want to be. But I certainly won’t stoop to that level.”
Saints had done their best to fight back in the second half, but they could not make their pressure tell and their momentum stalled after Lewis Murphy was sin-binned when he jumped to take a high ball and accidentally collided with Alfie Edgell’s head.
Wellens said he was “flabbergasted” by referee Jack Smith’s decision, adding: “I thought it was ridiculous, to be quite honest with you.
“Lewis goes up to contest a ball, he’s got eyes for one thing only, and that’s the ball. We had Jake Wingfield knocked out cold the other week (against Warrington Wolves in the Challenge Cup) and were told it was an accidental rugby injury.
“So what’s the difference between that and this one tonight? It is flabbergasting. It was a big momentum shifter in the game, when we were coming on strong.”
Saints’ latest loss will inevitably raise further questions about Wellens’ future, while the frustration was plain to see after the final hooter, with star half-back Jack Welsby in particular storming straight off the field.
“You lose two or three games at St Helens and it’s not like any other club,” continued Wellens. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Huge standards are what makes successful teams. I feel like I keep repeating myself in that there’s effort, but don’t quite nail a few things that are vital in games against good sides.”