ST HELENS reinforced their reputation as the team for the big occasion by delivering a performance packed full of awesome authority and majestic might to strengthen their grip on the Carnegie Challenge Cup with a resounding semi-final victory over Leeds.

The holders were largely untouchable as they extended their winning run to 16 matches with some of the most clinical rugby the competition has seen. Leeds, who remain their main rivals for the Super League title, never seemed likely to halt Saints’ march on an immediate return to Wembley as they turned on the style on a sweltering day.

Four tries, two in each half, were enough to set up a showdown with the winner of today’s other semi-final between Hull and Wakefield, neither of whom are likely to head for the national stadium at the end of next month with any degree of confidence.

With half-backs Sean Long and Leon Pryce dictating play in centre field and Paul Wellens, Francis Meli and Willie Talau threatening danger out wide, St Helens were in imperious form against a Leeds team that could not quite dig deep enough to overcome considerable adversity.

Already missing Brent Webb, the New Zealand full- back and their best player in 2008, and Great Britain second row Jamie Jones-Buchanan through injury, the Rhinos had to do without the influential figure of Rob Burrow for 42 minutes after the scrum half was knocked unconscious trying to tackle Lee Gilmour midway through the first half.

Burrow did return to the fray after an hour, by which time Leeds had threatened to haul themselves back into the game with two tries, but St Helens were not to be denied and a try in the 71st minute sealed the win. It was scored by Bryn Hargreaves, but owed much to his front row colleague James Graham, a 22-year-old prop whose heavy industry and unstinting work-rate played a key role in his side’s success.

Graham, who is certain to be in the England squad that will contest the World Cup in Australia later this year, was a strong figure in Saints’ Wembley win against Catalans last August and said the chance to return to the national stadium had been a major motivation for his team.

St Helens laid the foundation for their win by building enormous pressure before the interval, which arrived with them leading 12-2, an advantage that did scant justice to their territorial dominance but said much about the honesty of the Leeds defence.

The sheer physical toll of holding out St Helens for so long ultimately told on Leeds, who had fallen behind to an early try by Chris Flannery, the Australian scrum-half, after smart play by Keiron Cunningham and Long.

Both sides wasted promising opportunities with uncharacteristically nervous handling close to the line but Pryce ensured he kept a close grip on the ball in the 36th minute when a long pass by Long opened up a gap through which the stand-off hurtled.

St Helens made a bold start after the resumption and after their top scorer Ade Gardner had been denied a try in the corner they struck with a score by Jon Wilkin after g a break down the left involving Gilmour and Meli.

Long added his third conversion and at 18-2 St Helens seemed set to win at a canter. Leeds, though, were not yet a spent force and the Super League champions rallied to within a converted try with a defiant fightback prompted by the return from the bench of Ali Lauitiiti. The Kiwi second row was unstoppable as he crashed through to score from close range after St Helens prop Jason Cayless had lost possession 20 metres from his own line, before veteran centre Keith Senior moved the ball out to the left from a scrum for Scott Donald to score the Rhinos’ second try.

Leeds suddenly had the momentum, but it shifted back to St Helens when Lee Smith, the full-back, conceded a penalty in front of his own posts for failing to get to his feet to play the ball. Long’s kick opened up an eight-point gap that widened when Cunningham and Graham combined to put Hargreaves over and though Kylie Leuluai grabbed a late try for Leeds, Saints had done enough.

“They were very good and are going to be very hard to beat in the final,” said Leeds coach Brian McClennan. “My players can look at each other in the knowledge that the man next to him also tried his best. That’s important because we are really disappointed.”

Star man: James Graham (St Helens)

LEEDS: L Smith; R Hall, C Toopi, K Senior, S Donald; D McGuire, R Burrow; K Leuluai, M Diskin, J Peacock, A Lauitiiti, K Senior, K Sinfield (capt).

Replacements: N Scruton, C Ablett, I Kirke, S Worrall.

ST HELENS: P Wellens; A Gardner, M Gidley, W Talau, F Meli; L Pryce, S Long; B Hargreaves, K Cunningham (capt), J Graham, L Gilmour, J Wilkin, C Flannery. Replacements: J Roby, J Cayless, P Clough, M Fa’asavalu

Referee: A Klein (Keighley)

Attendance: 19,842