SAINTS' coach Ian Millward has defended his controversial team selection for the Easter Monday Super League clash against Bradford at Odsal in the wake of criticism from some quarters.

Eleven of the 17-man squad that drew with Wigan on Good Friday were absent from the team thrashed 54-8 by the Bulls.

However, the Rugby Football League announced on Tuesday that no action would be taken against Saints - despite the anger of fans on both sides of the Pennines over the Knowsley Road men fielding a virtual second string.

Millward insisted that all the absentees were injured. He said: "I know the players had injuries and if I had played them on Monday it would have ruled them out of the semi-final. That is not on the advice of Ian Millward, but on the advice of the medical staff". And he claimed that having only a two-day gap between the Wigan and Bradford games - the traditional format for the Easter weekend - meant his players did not have enough time to recover from injuries picked up on Good Friday.

"Prior to Friday's game we had no plans for the team for Monday. We were going to pick our strongest side. People have got to understand we are the only team who have been playing Super League teams on a weekly basis in high-pressure games. Two of the semi finalists in the Challenge Cup, Warrington and Huddersfield, have reached that stage without playing Super League opposition".

Millward added: "We said there were going to be changes after Friday and that was put in the public domain. I had always planned to make four changes (Jonkers, Gleeson, Graham and Fa'asavalu). The others were made because of injuries.

"The decision is not made solely by myself, it is in conjunction with medical staff, the doctor and head physio. I also have to take on board their thoughts on the long and short term with the injury problems".

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the league's governing body on Tuesday read: "The RFL can confirm that the St Helens club had submitted relevant documentation relating to participating players prior to that fixture and all players who took part in the game had been approved to play at Super League level. This was in accordance with by-laws relating to the Tetley's Rugby Super League competition".

Millward said some of the players who missed the match at Bradford would return for the home game against Salford on Friday, but declined to name which ones. He said he believed that naming players and their injuries in the press during the build-up to a game could allow opposition coaches the chance to work on targeting players' weaknesses.

However, he confirmed that Tim Jonkers, who returned against Bradford after a long lay-off with a knee injury, would miss out, after suffering a slight reaction following Monday's game.

SAINTS skipper Paul Sculthorpe and Samoan winger Dom Feaunati, along with Wigan captain Andrew Farrell, were due to appear before the Rugby League's Disciplinary Committee last night (Wednesday) to answer charges about their alleged roles in the Good Friday brawl at Knowsley Road. Also due to appear was young utility player Jon Wilkin following his dismissal at Bradford on Monday.

SAINTS have about 800 tickets remaining for the Powergen Challenge Cup semi-final against Huddersfield, to be played at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, on Sunday, April 25. They have so far sold 6,500. It is understood Huddersfield have sold in the region of 3,000 tickets, and Saints may receive a further allocation if needed.