A dominant display in atrocious conditions saw the Bulls U-21 academy ease past St Helens to close within a match of their third consecutive Grand Final.

With props Anthony Tonks and Neil Cherryholme laying an excellent foundation and scrum half Matty Brooks and hooker Richard Dobson producing a pinpoint kicking game, the defending champion Bulls kept the error-ridden Saints pinned deep in their half for much of the contest.

As wasteful as Saints were in possession, their goal-line defence was tenacious and it wasn't until the 15th-minute that the Bulls finally broke through.

Even then they had to survive a scare when stand off Mark Flanagan's pass was intercepted by wing Johnny Williams with full back Nicky Saxton committed in the line.

Second row Ben Feehan's cover tackle saved the day and the Bulls turned defence into attack when Williams fumbled in the play-the-ball. This time Flanagan opted for the dummy before strolling through a hole ten metres out.

Loose forward Brett Ferres couldn't add the conversion but three minutes later it was his fine offload under pressure that allowed Dobson to carve his way up the centre of the park.

Dobson in turn offloaded to Ferres and he found Saxton, who still had plenty of work to do but somehow managed to drag three defenders with him over the line.

Ferres' conversion put the Bulls ten clear and when Saints full back Gaz Langley couldn't hold Dean McGilvary's suicidal pass on his own line, Dobson provided the grubber for Ryan Atkins to score the Bulls' third try in eight minutes.

Saints hit back four minutes later through centre Sean Weed when the Bulls were harshly penalised for going on with a tackle.

Scrum half Matty Smith added the conversion to take Saints to the break trailing 16-6, with the only other notable action in the half a goal line drop-out from Karl Pryce that travelled fully 70 metres on the fly.

Two unconverted tries within five minutes of the restart then gave the Bulls the breathing space they were looking for.

Another Ferres offload and a fine skip pass from Flanagan created the first for Pryce and another Dobson grubber allowed Atkins to pounce for his second.

Saints hit back immediately with a solo try to prop Paul Leyland that Smith once again converted but the Bulls were by far the sharper side and Brooks' dart up the middle from acting half allowed replacement forward Tom Andrews to shovel the ball out wide where centre Richard Johnson showed good strength to finish in the corner.

A fine bust from Tonks took the Bulls deep inside Saints territory, allowing Richie Hawkyard to stab a grubber through that Justin Hunter latched on to to score.

Williams grabbed a late consolation for Saints but it is the Bulls who march on to a Grand Final qualifier against either Wigan or Hull FC next weekend.