 Vinnie Anderson scored one of St Helens' nine tries |
Hull KR: 0St Helens: (24) 50
Tries: Long, Wilkin (2), Anderson, Lyon, Talau (2), Gardner, Wellens
Goals: Lyon (7)
Super League leaders St Helens thrashed National League side Hull KR 50-0 to reach the Challenge Cup final.
Saints scored nine tries, while kicker Jamie Lyon added seven goals against the unbeaten League One leaders.
Sean Long, Jon Wilkin (2), Vinnie Anderson, Lyon, Willie Talau (2), Ade Gardner and Paul Wellens all crossed for Saints, who led 24-0 at the break.
The victory at the Galpharm Stadium ensured St Helens' fourth Cup final appearance in six years.
The second Challenge Cup semi-final between Huddersfield and Leeds takes place on Sunday.
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Rovers, surprise quarter-final winners over Warrington, never looked capable of claiming another shock, although they did not have the best of luck.
Second rower Jason Netherton went off a minute into the match after a clash of heads with team-mate Byron Ford.
Stand-off Gareth Morton, a replacement for the injured Scott Murrell, limped off before half-time and skipper James Webster went off with a cut face early in the second half.
But once Sean Long went over for Saints opening try after three minutes, they were well in control.
Rovers had no answer to the darting from dummy half runs by Keiron Cunningham or the offloading from the tackle by front rowers Paul Anderson and Jason Cayless, while stand-off Leon Pryce and centre Willie Talau were also in strong form.
Wellens, who completed the rout, was celebrating on the double after scoring his 100th try in St Helens colours.
St Helens coach Daniel Anderson "It wasn't an easy game. Hull KR played very well and were still sticking it to us at the end.
"Defensively we were very, very good. If they had played someone else on the day they might have got a bit more joy but we were just very motivated to defend our line.
"We were effective and clinical in attack and we put ourselves in a good position to score tries. It is very exciting to be leading St Helens for the first time in a final."
Hull KR coach Justin Morgan "We came up against a top quality side who play a fantastic brand of rugby. It was a nice experience but it would have been good to make a better account of ourselves.
"There is a huge leap between Super League and the National League as we have seen, the physical aspect for one. They are big, strong and fast.
"This is our first season as a full-time club and we aspire to be like them. They put us under pressure all the time and I haven't seen anyone as good as them at carrying the ball in possession."
Hull KR: Cockayne, Steel, Couturier, J. Goddard, Ford, Morton, Webster, Aizue, Fisher, Tangata-Toa, Morrison, Netherton, Gallacher.
Replacements: Joseph, Rivett, Garmston, Barker.
St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Lyon, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, P. Anderson, Cunningham, Cayless, Wilkin, V. Anderson, Graham.
Replacements: Roby, Fozzard, Gilmour, Fa'asavalu.
Referee: K Kirkpatrick (Warrington)
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