Paul Wellens heralds St Helens back a ‘shining example’ amid major hint at recall

St Helens coach Paul Wellens admits it would be it would be ‘very hard’ not to pick Jon Bennison in tonight’s clash with Hull after being impressed with the winger’s response to not being in the team.

Rising star Bennison, 20, has been 18th man for their last four games, with coach Wellens opting to go with Tommy Makinson and Tee Ritson on the wings.

But with England star Makinson out for around five weeks with injury, Bennison is likely to return to the fold in tonight’s clash with Hull.

‘It would be very hard not to pick him’ – St Helens coach Paul Wellens

Speaking in his weekly press conference, Wellens was full of praise for the way Bennison has responded to being left out of the team with his attitude and application in training.

Wellens said: “Jon is probably a shining example of how you should respond to not being in the team.

“As a young player, he is so keen and eager to learn and wants to improve.

“Even the fact that he’s not been playing, he spends hours on the training around after sessions working on his game to try and force his way back into the team so you have to respect that with any player, but particularly with a young player like Jon, who has had some success, has been really important for us in recent times, that he has just got on with the job.

“He is one that comes back into the reckoning and it would be very hard to not pick him if I’m honest with you.”

Bennison, who can play wing or full-back, has scored 11 tries in 28 appearances for Saints since making his first team debut in 2021.

St Helens will travel to the MKM Stadium to take face Hull FC in Thursday night’s televised clash, 8pm kick-off.

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