TWO tries from Ben Barba and one each from Matty Lees and Morgan Knowles helped Saints to a comfortable 26-0 win over Castleford in the final game of the Super 8s.

It was a job well done and as the game progressed coach Justin Holbrook was able to take fit again James Roby and Barba off for a rest.

With the big semi-final against Warrington at the forefront of everyone's mind as game with nothing riding on it is always difficult.

But after withstanding some early Castleford pressure Saints began to get on top and were better in all aspects of the game.

Saints young packmen were again impressive and were better in that middle, winning the ruck and getting a quicker play the ball.

Determined running from young packmen Lees and Knowles yielded the first scores, while the third was out of the attacking top drawer.

The ball was shifted left where Regan Grace streaked down the flank before turning back inside for the supporting Barba to dash over.

Barba's second, in which he stepped and wriggled over from close range took his personal tally to 30 at the top of the charts.

It effectively wrapped up a game that understandably drifted thereafter.

The key aim was to keep ticking over to take some confidence into the Warrington clash and avoid any injuries, targets which seemed to have been achieved.

With Jonny Lomax, Mark Percival, Luke Thompson and Jon Wilkin all rested this week it will leave coach Holbrook with big decisions to make next week in selecting his front row and bench.

But that is a better headache to have than scraping a team which has been in the case in a few years past.

Saints: Barba; Makinson, Morgan, Costello, Grace; Fages, Richardson; Amor, Roby, Lees, Taia, Peyroux, Knowles. Subs: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Douglas, Ashworth, Bentley.

Castleford: Mata'utia; Minikin, Webster, Roberts, Clare; Trueman, Gale; Watts, McShane, Millington, Wardle, Sene-Lefao, Massey. Subs: Milner, Clark, Maher, Laulu-Togaga'e