Looming Losing Streak Threatens St Helens’ Legacy
As the Super League standings tighten, St Helens face a daunting challenge this Saturday afternoon. If they are beaten by Hull FC, it will mark their sixth consecutive league loss – a first for the club in over 45 years. Remarkably, it would also be their sixth straight defeat across all competitions, something they haven’t experienced in more than 38 years.
Paul Wellens’ side currently find themselves on a five-game losing run, having suffered defeats at the hands of Salford Red Devils, Castleford Tigers, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves, and most recently, a 46-4 thrashing by Leigh Leopards. This slide has seen the Red V slip to 6th in the Super League table, and with injuries plaguing their squad, the focus has now shifted to securing a spot in the play-offs.
“The last time any St Helens team donning the iconic Red V lost six league games in a row was during the 1978/79 First Division campaign. That woeful run included losses against Leeds, Hull KR, Workington Town, Wakefield Trinity, and bitter rivals Wigan, before concluding with an 18-6 defeat against Widnes.”
Interestingly, the team’s losing streak across all competitions during that season was actually seven games, as they had also been eliminated from the Challenge Cup by Wakefield Trinity.
The only other instance of St Helens losing six games in a row across all competitions came in the 1985/86 Championship season. That run began with a semi-final defeat in the John Player Special Trophy (Regal Trophy) against Hull KR, followed by five consecutive league losses, including against rivals Wigan and Warrington.
As St Helens prepare to face Hull FC this weekend, the pressure is on to avoid a repeat of their previous defeats at the MKM Stadium and prevent their current team from being etched into the club’s history books for the wrong reasons.
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