THE trip to the Jungle had been billed as the biggest test to Saints’ unbeaten start to the campaign – and they clearly prepared accordingly.

In what was as much as a complete performance – on both sides of the ball – Saints blew the third placed battlers away on their own favoured midden to consolidate their place at the top of the pile with a 42-12 victory.

In recent weeks it has been easy to single out two or three stand-out players, those who were going to make it easy for the Steve Prescott Man of Steel voting panel to allocate their points, but last night it was a complete 1-17 effort.

With the ball, Saints were very clinical – and seemed to have a way of opening up the Tigers every time they sight of the try line.

Defensively they not only largely contained Cas in yardage, but when they did find the line broken or when the Tigers created a half chance, Saints managed to scramble determinedly.

All night they only conceded only the two tries, an interception to former Saint Michael Shenton and a consolation score to Jake Trueman; a defensive resolve that complemented their attacking flair.

There were promising signs, hopefully the shape of things to come on the firmer grounds, in the manner in which Saints moved the ball.

Lachlan Coote - who is rapidly becoming a fans favourite, noted by the reception he received at the end – got proceedings under way when he darted on to a quick pass from James Roby from dummy half to cross.

And, augmented by a penalty from the boot of Coote, Saints slowly but surely got a grip of the game.

And with that platform built they could turn on a little style when the opportunity arose.

Once again we saw Saints utilise the scrum as the perfect attacking platform – with swift hands from the set piece yielding a try in each half; one from Regan Grace the other from Mark Percival.

A well-worked score from Dom Peyroux, his first of a smartly taken brace to stretch his run to three matches, gave Saints an 18-0 lead at the break and the home fans booed their heads off.

There was nothing to get irate about – Saints were simply bossing it and there was nothing the hosts could do about it.

And with Saints’ mobile pack relishing it, they racked up a score in the second half with Zeb Taia, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Percival and Peyroux crossing before Jonny Lomax wrapped it up.

The last try summed up Saints’ style, given it was started by some outstanding defence at the other end and ended up with a four-pointer from the on-song stand-off.

Saints will now build for their next big test.

And although they will not take next week’s visitors Hull KR lightly – the challenges of Catalans away and Warrington at home will again be significant tests of Saints’ 2019 credentials.

Castleford: Mata'utia; Minikin, Foster, Shenton, Eden; Trueman, Rankin; Watts, McShane, Millington, Holmes, Moors, Massey, Subs: Clare, Milner, Sene-Lefao, Cook.

Saints: Coote; Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace; Lomax, Fages; Walmsley, Roby, Thompson,Taia, Peyroux, Knowles. Subs: Paulo, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Ashworth.