Castleford coach Andy Last sacked after heavy home defeat to Huddersfield

Castleford coach Andy Last has been sacked after Friday night’s 28-0 home defeat to Huddersfield left the Tigers bottom of Betfred Super League.

The Tigers were battered by the Giants at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle, with a hat-trick of tries from Sam Halsall helping to consign them to a fifth successive defeat.

Last, who took over in March after Lee Radford stepped down, did not appear before the media following the match.

And the club soon released a statement, which read: “Castleford Tigers can confirm that Andy Last has departed the club with immediate effect.

“The club will make a further statement after the weekend.”

Castleford have won just four of 21 league games this season and are now 12th in the standings, below Wakefield on points difference – with the Tigers travelling to Trinity in their next game.

While the Tigers continue to struggle, Huddersfield were celebrating a fourth win in a row to keep their play-off hopes alive.

The Giants are ninth in the table and just four points off the top six.

“I’m really pleased,” coach Ian Watson said.

“We showed great character. We spoke about starting really fresh and starting really well.

“We wanted to take that pressure away. Our defensive mentality was awesome.

“It’s a week by week proposition for us [making the finals]. We don’t want to get carried away, but it’s put us in a great position. We look a hell of a lot more like us.”

The Giants next face defending champions St Helens on August 13.

“That will be a big game for us. Every game for us is a big game. There’s no point looking two or three games ahead. We have to enjoy it.”

Watson praised the impact of full-back Jake Connor, who set up two tries and constantly troubled Castleford’s defence, and believes the England international is starting to find his feet.

“There’s still things we’ve spoke about, but he’s finding a way,” he said.

“He’s started to turn up in the right places now. Everything comes off our D anyway.”