Royce Simmons' future hangs in the balance as St Helens lose again

St Helens will make a statement on Monday amid growing speculation that their coach, Royce Simmons, will pay the ultimate penalty for the team's fourth consecutive defeat, at Bradford on Saturday, continuing their worst run of the Super League era. Saints' chairman, Eamonn McManus, denied on Sunday night that Keiron Cunningham, the club's former playing favourite who is now a member of the backroom staff, has already been put in charge. But Cunningham would seem an obvious choice to be involved in a caretaker capacity, probably alongside Mike Rush, the driving force behind the club's successful junior development policy, should Simmons and his assistant, Kieron Purtill, be moved on. Simmons, a former Australia Test hooker who had previously coached Hull, joined St Helens before the start of last season, succeeding Mick Potter, whose Bradford team inflicted the defeat that seems to have ended his tenure. His first season in charge was widely regarded as a success, as Saints overcame the retirement of Cunningham, the lack of a home ground following the move from Knowsley Road to a temporary base in Widnes, and serious injury problems to reach a sixth consecutive Grand Final - although they suffered a fifth straight Old Trafford defeat, their fourth against Leeds in the space of five years. However after Saints won their first two games of this season, including the first match at their new home Langtree Park, things have turned sour. They scraped a 36-36 draw at Hull KR, then suffered a dramatic home defeat by the Catalan Dragons and were beaten by a single point at Huddersfield. The bad run has continued with further defeats at home to Hull and then 12-8 at Bradford on Saturday night.Stories emerged from Sydney last month suggesting that Huddersfield's coach Nathan Brown had already been sounded out about succeeding Simmons when his contract was due to expire at the end of the season. However Brown has denied that any talks have taken place, and with his Giants currently at the top of the Super League table, it is hard to see him considering an immediate move to St Helens. Daniel Anderson, who was Potter's predecessor at Saints and remains a highly respected figure at the club, would be another obvious and strong contender to succeed Simmons. He is due back in England in May to take charge of the Exiles, the team of overseas players based in the Super League who will face England in two International Origin matches, but insisted only last week that he is happy in Sydney, and has no plans to return to St Helens.