Paris cakewalk for Saints

But the game itself didn't exactly set the Champs Elysee alight!

And no fault could be laid at Saints' door, for expected stiffer French resistance from a side comprised almost entirely of Australians failed to materialise and, as last season, the resulting 80 minutes were of 'no contest' variety.

Many and varied reasons have been advanced for this, not least that the PSG squad has been cut to the bone due to French-born players still being involved with their own season while, on the evidence of Saturday night, the Aussie imports are simply not of the standard required to meet the demands of Super League.

Off the field I searched in vain for any attempt to promote the visit of the competition's inaugural champions, and despite being assured that the admission free-for-all of 1996 would not be repeated with 50 francs to be the going rate, my experience and that of many Saints' supporters was that was once again the case.

Consequently one is inclined to question the quoted attendance of 8,000, but what is certain is that the great majority of them made the 1,000-mile round trip from St. Helens, as witness the reception accorded the Saints from their self-confessed 'barmy army' of fans.

So, on balance, while the Rugby League's overall expansionist policy is to be applauded, much groundwork still needs to be done if the Parisienne connection is to have any credibility, and coach Peter Mulholland's task in avoiding relegation is a daunting one with the campaign just a month old.

Meanwhile, there was much to enjoy as Saints supporters basking in the sheer class of their team also explored the cultural delights of the French capital, notably Montmartre, Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe or a cruise on the Seine before heading en-masse for the Charlety arena,

Once there much interest centred on the return after suspension of scrum-half Bobbie Goulding, and the Saints' skipper obliged by landing six goals and being involved in the build-up to three of his side's tries, while I thought that 'Jommy' Martyn (French interpretation!) was the Knowsley Road team's man-of-the match. Goulding and Martyn carved out Saints' opening try within five minutes, then Chris Joynt and Alan Hunte put Anthony Sullivan over in the corner, and when Paul Newlove's break was finished off by Martyn the visitors found themselves 16-0 to the good without really extending themselves in the first 20 minutes.

Saints then noticeably eased off the accelerator as a Paris team lacking nothing in sheer endeavour mounted their first real threat, which was rewarded when Pierre Chamorin (one of two Frenchmen in their ranks) crossed after a brilliant round of passing with Anthony Wall converting.

That lone Paris try came when Saints were down to 12 men after Steve Prescott was sin-binned for interference at the play-the-ball, and PSG then enjoyed their best spell for fully ten minutes on the restart, without managing further penetration of a resolute Saints' defence.

However, the final 30 minutes belonged entirely to Goulding and his men with five further touchdowns, the first coming via a bullet-like pass from Goulding to send Prescott over; Newlove's searing break opened the way for Joynt, and then Martyn raced 75 yards after intercepting a wayward pass from David O'Donnell.

Goulding's inch-perfect cross-kick to the corner enabled Danny Arnold to give Saints a 36-6 lead with fifteen minutes left, with the visitors' try-scoring French frolic ending when, after Goulding had kicked ahead to the posts, Hunte won the race with Prescott to get the touchdown.

On-field entente cordiale was maintained almost throughout, with a brief difference of opinion between Julian O'Neill and Paul Evans being quickly quelled by referee Stephen Presley, while this welcome espirit-de-corps also transmitted itself to the rival fans, including a certain Lee Briers, who was plucked from the crowd to join his team-mates in celebration.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.