St Helens overcome Castleford despite Jackson Hastings sending-off

St Helens beat Castleford in Super League action on 22 August 2026 despite captain Jackson Hastings being sent off. Hastings' dismissal left Saints reduced to 10 players for the game's closing stages.

Saints scored through Jack Welsby, Shane Wright, Jacob Douglas, Tom Humphreys, Sailor and Nene Macdonald as they marked Kevin Walters' appointment as their head coach for next season. Castleford replied with tries from Louis Senior and Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e, with Ben McNamara converting on his debut, and the visitors' defeat came a day after the club confirmed head coach Ryan Carr had departed for "personal reasons".

St Helens dominated early and were 12-0 up inside eight minutes after Welsby intercepted a pass and ran 65 yards to score, then Wright dummied right and cut inside to add a second. Douglas scored in the right-hand corner on 22 minutes and 18-year-old Tom Humphreys recorded his first try on his 11th appearance two minutes later to continue Saints' momentum.

Harry Robertson made a break that set up Sailor to score under the posts, extending the lead to 30-0 before the game turned fractious. Hastings punched Tyler Dupree off the ball, cutting Dupree above the left eye, and referee Tom Grant sent Hastings off while sin-binning Dupree; Dupree then clashed with Castleford coach Scott Murrell as he tried to pursue Hastings down the tunnel.

Saints, down to 12 men, scored a sixth try in the 48th minute when Macdonald touched down from Robertson's kick. Castleford used their extra player to good effect when Senior scored in the left corner on 52 minutes and McNamara added the two points; Laulu-Togaga'e later finished a flowing move by scoring under the posts.

Late in the match Alex Walmsley and Chris Matagi were sin-binned, reducing St Helens to 10 players; the team list recorded Sin bin: Walmsley (76), Matagi (80). St Helens' starting XV was Sailor; Douglas, MacDonald, Welsby, Cross; Robertson, Hastings (c); Davies, Host, Wright, Walmsley, Shorrocks, Suluka-Fifita, with interchanges Humphreys, Keeley, Evans, Matagi; Marsh. Castleford started Laulu-Togaga'e; Ravalawa, Mellor (c), Brand, Senior; Asi, Weaver; Atoni, Hood, Lawler, Lane, Hirst, Stimson, with interchanges Dupree, Brown, Vaalepu, McNamara; Robb.

Despite the win, Saints still probably need to win their three remaining regular games to avoid missing out on the play-offs for the first time in Super League history.