SAINTS boss Kristian Woolf believes the half time interval was key to allowing Saints to regroup on their way to the team's first Challenge Cup trophy for 13 years.

They trailed 12-6 at the break despite taking an early lead from a Theo Fages try.

Castleford were good value for their lead courtesy of converted tries from Niall Evalds and Jake Trueman.

Fages, who had suffered a shoulder injury a fortnight ago, came off at the break - with Jack Welsby slotting in at six.

That, combined with a solid pack effort, helped Saints score 20 points without reply to win 26-12.

"We needed half-time actually," Woolf said. "Their first try really rattled us and we began making a lot of errors.

"We were all over the place, a bit jumpy on the edges. We were not quite where we usually are.

"I thought the period just before half-time was crucial. If they had scored another try, it would have made it really tough for us.

"To come out and score the first try of the second half was really big."

Woolf revealed it was Fages who took the decision to keep himself out of the action for the second half.

"I can't praise him enough," Woolf said. "He had the problem really early in the piece but he's a tough little bugger and he tried to battle on.

"A couple of times he went to throw a pass and had no power. He made the decision at half-time because he felt he was letting the team down.

"Thankfully we had Jack Welsby on the bench and he did an outstanding job."

In adding the Challenge Cup to their Super League trophy, Woolf has topped the achievement of his predecessor Justin Holbrook while captain James Roby collected a fourth winners' medal and was among the second-half tryscorers, 14 years after scoring the first try at the renovated stadium.

Woolf said of the veteran hooker: "He was outstanding. To be doing what he does at his age is outstanding, he doesn't look like he is slowing down at all."