SAINTS boss Justin Holbrook gave his thoughts to the Star’s Mike Critchley to reflect on the week's rugby league matters.

MC: You must have been delighted with that all-round performance on Saturday?

JH: It was a really big game for us and I thought we handled it really well.

It was obviously a tough game and Cas came at us really hard.

To lead 12-0 at half time was outstanding.

MC: There was plenty of dazzling stuff, but the forwards worked really hard.

JH: Cas tried really hard in that area but I thought our boys did really well. It was a high intensity game that is for sure and one we hadn’t had.

We had had a few comfortable wins prior to that game, so to go there and handle the occasion so well was pleasing.

MC: The goal line defence was pretty key.

JH: We made 40 more tackles than them in the first half and they had some opportunities, but our defence was fantastic and we needed it to be.

We handled the kicks to the wing really well – and we ended up scoring off it.

I thought the first half was tough but to turn that into points.

That was off the back of great goal line defence.

It is easy to say we scored two against the run of play, but not only have we defended our try line but we have been good enough to come up with the ball. Benny’s reaction to pop the ball to Regan and then the second to scoop up and run the full length takes a lot of effort.

It was a great reward for some great defence.

MC: Compared to some of the other televised games, this was a good advert for RL?

JH: It was the best game over the weekend, a really good tough old fashioned hard physical game – and I am really glad we won.

MC: Wilko’s face looked pretty battered, is he ok and is it just superficial damage?

JH: He is fine. He just copped another couple of bangs around the head.

He had a couple the week before –so he is getting battered about the melon a bit and he may not look as much like George Clooney any more.

MC: The team is ticking over nicely with Danny Richardson pulling the strings?

JH: Yes he is. And we have Benny and Jonny playing fantastic too and sharing that workload.

Theo obviously loves playing in the halves but coming on for Robes at the back end of the game really lifted our standard in the last 25 minutes.

Theo is a tough little, competitive player and love having him in the team.

MC: This week you continued building for the future with the signing of Joe Batchelor, so alongside James Bentley you now have two young second rows to develop?

JH: It is no secret Joe had a number of options as to where he could have gone.

The fact that he picked Saints was good for our club.

We have two great second rowers here at the moment in Zebby (Taia) and Dom (Peyroux), but they haven’t got too many more years left, so it is good to get two young back rowers who can come in and learn their trade over the next 12-18 months and be knocking on the door for the first team.

The future of the team is important for our club, but first and foremost it is making sure that our first team is very good a side and then having progressions for the younger guys breaking through.