This weekend marks 10 years since Saints hammered Hull KR 54-0 in Edinburgh. Here’s how Mike Critchley reported the success at the time in this week’s classic coverage

SAINTS buried their Murrayfield hoodoo in fine style to rock the large contingent of Robins fans.

Having lost on their previous two visits north of the border Saints ruthlessly took their chances in what is likely to be their last game in the Scottish capital.

There was an eerie feel to this encounter, with a quarter full and bitterly cold cavernous stadium providing the backdrop to the clash.

The Saints support, numbering about 600, was huddled in one corner and soon had plenty to cheer.

Mick Potter’s men rattled in 11 tries in a performance that was close to perfection.

Victory was even more pleasing because it came against a Hull KR side that have proved to be a fly in the Saints ointment for the last three encounters.

In the past Rovers have been allowed to frustrate the living daylights out of Saints in the tackle and then keep them at arm’s length with big, booming kicks.

But on the wide open Murrayfield pitch Saints held all the aces.

They got off to a flyer when Paul Wellens’ advance put sufficient pressure on Shaun Briscoe to force an error and gleefully accept the spillage with a try.

There was only ever going to be one winner after that.

Although the white flag was probably raised by the Rovers players, credit has to go to the men in the red vee who kept at it for the full 80 minutes.

Leon Pryce was particularly impressive on his return, despite playing with a broken toe.

He kicked intelligently, fashioning three Saints’ tries with the boot.

Half back partner Kyle Eastmond was again lively, grabbing the second try, and just generally making a nuisance of himself in the middle.

Although Saints went into the game with only one of their recognised three-quarter line, there was nothing makeshift about the effort.

The Chris Flannery and Ade Gardner combination once again worked to devastating effect.

In the absence of Matt Gidley, back rower Flannery has been a revelation and shown good pace and handling.

The former Origin player, who is off contract at the end of the year, may have just done enough this past month to show he is a real asset worthy of a new deal at Saints should he want one.

Flannery grabbed one try and set up two for Ade Gardner as slick Saints ripped the Rovers defence to pieces.

In the forwards usual suspects James Graham and James Roby, making a rare start, were again to the fore.

Both were rewarded for their evening’s industry with tries.

Graham’s was a product of some brilliant and brave play from Wellens, who not only won the ball in midair from a relatively static opposite number Shaun Briscoe, he then had the wherewithal to offload to the advancing prop who lasts longer than a Duracell bunny.

Unsung packman Paul Clough also got a try - a just reward for his endeavour in recent weeks.

Clough is a quiet achiever in the Saints pack - and contributed even more to the cause now that he appears to have bulked up with age.

He never shirks a carry or a tackle, and although not a flashy player, should be a valuable asset to this side for years to come.

Saints are blessed with their young crop of forwards - and the continued good form of Andrew Dixon and try scorer Matty Ashurst underlined that again in Edinburgh.

There were doubts when old head Lee Gilmour was release, but these three young backrowers show that the future is bright.

Saints: Wellens; Gardner, Flannery, Armstrong, Foster; Pryce, Eastmond; Graham, Roby, Hargreaves, Clough, Dixon, Puletua. Subs: Cunningham, Fozzard, Ashurst, Moore.

Hull KR: Briscoe: Fox, Ratu, Webster, Cockayne; I’Anson, Dobson; Lovegrove, Murrell, Clinton, Newton, Netherton, Vella. Subs: Cook, Watts, Fisher, Wheeldon. Ref: Phil Bentham.