SAINTS boss Keiron Cunningham hopes that Thursday’s defeat at Castleford will give the team a kick up the backside ahead of Sunday’s crucial Challenge Cup game against Widnes.

The Star’s Mike Critchley asked the questions.

MC: Thursday could have gone better?

KC: It is hard for me to be really critical because the boys have been so good for a block of six or seven games. Considering we were as poor as we really were shows the resilience of my team and what the players were made of.

We lost Percy that last 10 minutes and it gave them the kick up the backside, defending the best they had done all game.

It’s been a tough period and we enjoyed our little moment in the sunshine. It was always going to be tough, but I’d much rather have the blip against Cas than against Widnes. I’ll sacrifice the two points there as long as the boys go out there and play well this week.

It’s a tough one, but one thing led to another and a few of them did not have their greatest games. They have played outstanding – so I made a note, put it in a locker and dropped it to the bottom of the sea. The game has gone, we move on and they trained well on Monday and am more than happy with the way we are heading,

MC: The injuries were a bigger blow than the loss?

KC: I said that to the chairman. Although I was upset about the two points, it’s the injuries that deflate you. I am a really positive person, and look on the upside of everything, but Thursday and Friday knocked the stuffing out of me and you ask yourself what you can do as a coach.

But I soon bounce back – we are all resilient because we are used to it. It’s nothing new, you have to move on and do your best. We have had to do this for a number of years, nothing is going to change.

MC: That is a bitter blow for Shannon?

He’d been brilliant and Jamahl had been working hard with him and the outside backs. He’s been showing how much he’d been listening and learning and coming on leaps and bounds. The form had been best form of his career.

I just feel for him, to come from other side of world at short notice to do a job for us and pick up an injury like that. That’s RL I suppose.

He snapped his Achilles so that’s him done for the year. I think the delay for the Swifty injury hurt him a little bit; it was getting towards the back end of the game and you have that 12 minute break. All players cool down and then you start again.

You can’t account for what has happened this year, we have lost five players who can play full back.

MC: Adam Swift’s injury looked worrying?

KC: Swifty is ok, it was more precautionary than concern because he had some pain down his neck and down his arm. It was important that we did the right thing. I would not be able to live with myself if a player got badly hurt and I had had an influence on that. We made sure everything was good, went to hospital and got everything examined.

We will integrate him slowly into training this week and will hopefully come through ok.

MC: Is he lined up for full back?

KC: Swifty may be an option, but could run with a junior too. There are plenty of options because some of the 19s have been going super and all deserve the chance. Every cloud that hangs over your head can produce a silver lining. We have had that a few times already.

We have got a long week, so am going to look at that in training and we will see who looks the best and more comfortable there and able to handle the role. It may be a dual role, having a couple of people doing it, whatever works best for the team.

MC: Pressure on the kickers – Brown and Mellor –is probably key this week then?

KC: Even if Shannon and Jonny were there that would be the case, Vikings have great kicking games and we know what we have to do. We have had adversity for the past two to three years – it just happens and we just move on.

MC: Widnes have had a dip results wise, that may have taken some of that bounce off them but they are still a very good team.

KC: I know it won’t be the same team that played Huddersfield and I am sure the players they lost in the first half, who are quite influential, will be fit for our game. You will see a different Widnes on Sunday.

MC: How important is the cup for this club?

KC: It means more to me than the Grand Final. We have a good Challenge Cup history – but it has been a long time since we have progressed quite far. As a club we owe it to ourselves as a group of players to have a real crack at it.

MC: Has Luke Walsh come through OK?

KC: He was fine, a little bit rusty and had some wonderful touches and some he could get better at.

I knew if he could play against Cas then he would be better against Widnes and that was my goal.

I spoke to Walsh after Wigan and he was confident that he would be fine and when he said he was fit, he had one session and played.

He is going to train a full week this week with his half back pairing. He will be better and so will we all.