SAINTS coach Justin Holbrook took time off to answer questions again this week — about Magic, the front row's step up and playing Cas again.

MC: Is it a measure of the standards expected now that there was a degree with disappointment with that Magic performance?

JH: It is tough because although Widnes have not been winning they are still a hard team to play.

They were unlucky to have beaten Leeds the week before and had a decision gone their way they would have knocked them out of the cup and then everyone would talk about it differently.

I knew it was going to be a hard game. We could have played better, but to win by 20 and more importantly keep them to nil in the second half was pleasing. We had not played well in the first half and let some tries in but to come away with as convincing winners, I was happy with.

MC: Did you put your finger on what had gone wrong in the first half?

JH: We were all a little bit off. Everyone wanted to play so well. We did it the year before and everyone had their hearts set on playing great.

We still performed well enough, but we were just a little bit off with the effort in our defence.

Everyone thought we were just going to win and that can be hard as a playing group.

We had come off the back of a massive game the week before so it was never going to be plain sailing and Widnes were up for it too.

So although I was slightly disappointed with the way we played, I was still really happy with the win.

A few too many errors and lapses in defence so it was not a complete game, but we still scored some good tries.

Our playing group was disappointed at half time and full time, but they are high standards that we set.

MC: Dom Peyroux gave you plenty of aggressive running. One of your better performers on the day?

JH: The way he runs makes a difference and you saw that with the first try. It was a case of ‘you are not going to stop me’ and Danny Richardson was there in support. It was what was needed because we had come out a bot quiet and flat and that sparked us up a bit.

He has been playing fantastic.

MC: Dom signed a one-year last season, so will be up again this year. Do you want him to stay?

JH: It would be great if he stayed, that is for sure. He has proven this year why I wanted to keep him. The back half of last year was great although I understand he was not great prior to that.

He showed at the back end of last year that he wanted to be in this team. And he has shown that from round one this year and worked really hard and I am pleased with how well he is playing.

MC: Going back to Castleford, so soon after last time, is not ideal is it?

JH: It is not ideal for either of us to play each other in such a short space of time. It is what it is.

It is going to be tough. It was a tough game in the cup and they played really well against Leeds.

We are back there on Thursday. We will have more of a freshen up week ahead of this and then get ready to go again.

MC: Although Saints ended up winning quite comfortably in the end, there had been some tough physical battles developing out there that day with Jesse Sene-Lefao and Luke Thompson getting shots on each other.

JH: It was probably the best they had played and came out hard against us, which I am fine with. But I was happy with how we dealt with that as a team.

The scoreline probably flattered us but still when you get those runaway tries you have obviously got to have defended the whole set of six to start with and that is what we didn’t get credit for.

To defend our line like that, then come up with the ball like we did and then be ready to act on it. Although we did not blow them off the park it was still a great performance against a good, committed side.

To keep then to nil on their own ground for the whole first half was a massive effort.

MC: How is Tommy Makinson’s arm after Magic?

JH: Fine. He said it was a bit sore we thought we would just get him off and not risk him late in the game.

The way he starts our sets off for us is brilliant. We love Tommy.

MC: Just one change this week then, Kyle Amor for Matty Lees.

Lees is developing with each week.

JH: Lees is a good young player and every game he gets he will learn a lot from and get better and better. He has a good future but would be good to use him sparingly if we can.

MC: Is there any update on Alex Walmsley?

JH: He will have an X-ray next week and a CT scan in mid June. We will get more information then?

MC: When you lost Big Al against Warrington, did you anticipate Luke Thompson stepping up so many notches?

JH: Yes, I expected it from all of our forwards. Tommo from the start of pre-season has been fantastic, Kyle Amor came back early after the World Cup and worked hard to get back in the team, Louie has been phenomenal, and Luke Douglas is always solid.

All the forwards have all stepped up, but we still miss Big Al and I am not shying away from that because he is the best front rower in the comp.

But I could not be happier with the forward pack.

Tommo’s game is evolving too. He has passed a few balls – the first set against Wakefield they charged in and he slipped the pass to Wilko and he made a break and we scored two tackles later.