SAINTS coach Justin Holbrook reflected on the team’s spirit, defensive qualities and praises the input of Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook in conversation with the Star’s Mike Critchley.

MC: Has the intensity of those last two games been the ideal preparation for a knockout game?

JH: I think it it is and it has been the last four weeks to be honest. A tough game against Wakefield, the trip to Hull and then Wigan and Warrington.

They are four hard games but the long turnaround will help us. I’m not normally a fan, but off the back of what you have said it will be good this week.

MC: Some teams take it easy before a big game, but that was pretty intense stuff?

JH: Yes. There is no right and wrong answer whether you rest players or not. That is up to the coach and the players and the approach you want to take.

For us it was about getting out there and delivering again.

We did that – it took all 80 minutes to do that but we did it and that is good preparation for a really hard game on Sunday.

MC: Finding ways of winning games when you are not at your best, is a real quality to have?

JH: Definitely – it puts us ion good stead for knockout games where you are really not sure how the game is going to pan out, but have to deal with it. Thursday was an example of that, we had to deal with the way the game was getting played and get on with it and come away with ther win.

MC: You mentioned post-match about how Warrington were ‘allowed to play’ - what did you mean?

JH: The slowing of the ruck was horrendous for me and it was allowed for 80 minutes.

That is why I am really pleased with my side.

For 30 minutes we looked lost and were not sure what we were doing due to that fact. But we just got on with it and re-adjusted.

When it is like that you are never going to get many opportunities.

But we grabbed a couple in that second half and that was enough to win.

It was really important for us to learn how to win in different ways.

MC: They had a lot of ball on the Saints line, but defensively it held.

JH: Yes to keep Wigan and Warrington to one try apiece is showing that after playing these big games we are delivering every week, which is important.

And Robes, Jonny and Wilko did big things at special times, chasing the drop goal kickers, which was really important.

MC: When Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook came on he brought enthusiasm and aggression. He is up there with Dom Peyroux as the club’s most-improved player?

JH: Thursday night was the best I have seen him play.

Everyone knows about his energy and enthusiasm, but it was the way he played too.

He was watching that game unfold and thinking how Warrington were slowing us up and he went on there and said ‘I am not copping this’ and did something about it.

It was brilliant to watch.

He runs around like a 20-year-old kid with energy and enthusiasm, but his ability is under-rated too.

He is a great player, runs hard and tackles hard and is great to bring him on.

MC: Are you doing anything different with the long turnaround and with it being a big game, or do you keep it as normal as possible.

JH: It is more about recovery and giving us a chance early in the week to get over those last four tough games, but in the back of our heads know that we are ready to go again.

We will train the same, but of course acknowledge that it is different.

The cup semi has come at a good time – every time it has come along we have had our head down in Super League playing really well and then the Challenge Cup comes up.

That happened right from the start against Castleford – then a few more weeks we played Hull and now we are in the same situation where we have come off the back of four good wins.

And now there is a breath of fresh air for coaches and players knowing they are now in the knockout stage of the Challenge Cup.