MASSACRE at the Millennium Stadium .. that's the only way to described Saints' total destruction of their neighbours on Sunday night.
Six tries in the space of 31 sparkling first-half minutes blew Wigan away and turned what many had expected to be a keenly and closely-fought derby encounter into little more than an one-sided romp.
The carnage continued after the interval as Saints took their try tally into double figures, leading to dejected and despondent Wigan fans streaming away from the Welsh stadium long before the final hooter.
Sean Long proved to be their tormentor-in-chief, claiming a hat-trick of tries and landing seven goals from nine attempts, as well as a drop goal, against his home-town club to earn the man of the match award.
The willow-the-wisp half back did all the damage in the first hour before being substituted and deservedly collected the man of the match award on a ground where four years ago he picked up the Lance Todd accolade against the same opponents in the Challenge Cup Final.
Long, now in the twilight of a glittering and trophy-laden career, said: "We got off to a flier and the game was over by half-time.
"We talked prior to the match not to get carried away by the occasion and play our normal game. We practiced well all week and we took this on to the field where all the boys performed superbly."
Coach Daniel Anderson said: " Sean had a great game but when you play like we did you can't single out any one player for special mention.
"Everyone got into the act and fed off each other."
Excellent support play and rapier-like finishing was the hallmark of Saints' emphatic victory - their biggest against the old enemy since handing out a 75-0 Challenge Cup thrashing to the Cherry and Whites in 2005.
They turned on their own brand of Millennium magic virtually from the start, punching holes in an often unsure and hesitant Wigan defence which spent most of the game chasing shadows.
It took just 20 minutes to shape the destiny of the 37th Super League clash between the two clubs - Saints storming into an 18 point lead.
Long's speed of thought and electrifying pace from acting half back caught the Wigan rearguard cold as early as the sixth minute - the no. 7 weaving his way over the line and landing a simply conversion.
A piece of slick handling from Jason Cayless sent Jon Wilkin racing away from half-way eight minutes later and after brushing aside a feeble challenge from Richie Mathers, the loose forward claimed the second try of the night.
Long goaled and maintained his 100 per kicking record four minutes later after Francis Meli had cashed-in on further hesitancy in the Wigan defence. The Warriors foolishly stopped playing when appealing for a knock-on by Willie Talau and offside and before they had recovered their composure Meli had picked up the pieces and roared virtually unchallenged to the line.
Matt Gidley's astute grubber kicked paved the way for Ade Gardner to cross for Saints' fourth try in the 29th minute; Talau raced down the left touchline to put the finishing touches to a defence-splitting Lee Gilmour break just after the half hour mark; and five minutes from the interval Pryce created an opening for Long to grab his second try.
The half back also landed two of his three goals attempts and just to add salt to Wigan's growing wounds completed the first-half scoring with an impudent drop goal afrer 37 minutes.
'Play for your pride' must have been coach Brian Noble's dressing-room clarion call - the Warriors posting their first points within 60 seconds of the restart when Thomas Leuluai forced his way over.
But they were brought crashing back to earth five minutes later when Long started and finished a breath-taking handling move to complete his hat-trick and then banged over the goal.
Talau increased Saints lead to 45-4 in the 53rd minute, latching on to a Paul Wellens pass and crossing the whitewash and they topped the half-century mark five minutes later as Gardner capitalised on Long's raking pass from left to right with the latter adding the extras.
Shell-shocked Wigan responded with tries from Harrison Hansen (62 mins) and Mickey Higham (68 mins), both of which Pat Richards goaled, but Saints completed a champagne-style performance with yet another sparkling try.
James Roby, James Graham and Wellens all combined to send Gilmour over the whitewash with Gidley slotting over the goal.
Teams: Saints: Wellens 8, Gardner 8,Gidley 8, Talau 8, Meli 8, Pryce 8, Long 9, Cayless 8, Cunningham 8, Graham 8 Gilmour 8, Flannery 8, Wilkin 8. Subs: Roby 8, Bennett 8, Hargreaves 8, Clough 8.