Willie Peters insists there’s more to come from his brilliant Hull KR side even after they bullied World Club champions Wigan into submission.
They meet again in the Challenge Cup semi-final in three weeks’ time. And ruthless Rovers will fancy their chances of back-to-back Wembley appearances after this emphatic display. They needed a response after being walloped 36-6 in Perpignan last Saturday and they certainly delivered.
Tries from the outstanding Sauaso Sue, Oliver Gildart, Peta Hiku, Ryan Hall and Kelepi Tanginoa reduced Super League kings Wigan to only their second defeat of the year. Rovers’ ferocious pack were too strong for Matt Peet’s team and they defended superbly.
The hosts, with England scrum-half Mikey Lewis returning to pep them up, were 10-0 ahead inside just 12 minutes and they never looked back.
Peters admitted: “It was good. The players weren’t happy with what we did last week and it was always going to be them who turned it around. It shows what they can do; when they put their minds to something they can achieve what they want. They want to take the challenge on and do their community proud.
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"They did tonight. The brand and way they played tonight was flowing well. The fitting part for me was when they [Wigan] made a line break and we had a lot more jerseys in the field than Wigan. Defence was number one priority and that showed. But I’d like to think there’s still more improvement.”
It’s rare Warriors captain Liam Farrell ever gets bashed around but thundering prop Sue bumped him off to storm over for the first try. Lewis slotted the first of his three goals and soon after Peters’ side were in again. They shifted left via Lewis before Niall Evalds came in and delivered a perfect short pass to give Gildart just enough space to slide in against his former club.
Hull KR players celebrate another try (PA)Wobbling Wigan were all at sea, demonstrated when England prop Mike Cooper coughed up the ball in his first carry after coming off the bench. Hooker Brad O’Neill’s high shot saw Lewis extend the lead with a penalty. But the best was still to come with Hiku’s brilliant 60m try.
The Kiwi centre brushed aside Farrell again in the middle of the park before swatting off England scrum-half Harry Smith and accelerating clear. Evalds offered support and then passed back to Hiku who jubilantly reached the line for his eighth try of the season. Lewis improved before Smith summed up Wigan’s calamitous night by sailing the restart out on the full.
The visitors had plenty of ball but rarely looked like piercing Rovers’ superb defence. When they did through Kruise Leeming, Joe Burgess not only dragged down the breakaway hooker but then charged across field to deny England centre Jake Wardle on the next play, too. Trailing 18-0 at the break, Peet’s side did get off the mark when Bevan French’s excellent cut-out pass ushered Abbas Miski over in the 53rd minute.
Hull Kingston Rovers' Sauaso Sue (centre) is tackled during the Betfred Super League match (PA)They should have cut the deficit further but England prop Luke Thompson bombed with the line begging after Liam Marshall had chipped inside. And Rovers made them pay when England winger Hall squeezed over for his seventh try this season. Second-row Tanginoa rounded things off with a stunning 90m effort before Farrell’s late consolation, the England second-row's 500th Super League point., Adam Keighran converting.
On a positive, Wigan did see England prop Ethan Havard make his first appearance since limping off in last year’s Grand Final. But Peet admitted: “Hull KR were the better teams across the 80, particularly at the start. We were a little soft defensively at the start and weren’t where we needed to be at goalline defence.
“We were below standard on both fronts. They started with great intent and energy. It was pretty clear where we were off. And a few individuals have put their hands up in the changing room. Rightly so. And us as staff as well.”
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