Hull KR are heading to Wembley and on this evidence, the side who plays them have a job on their hands. The Robins scorched to victory in the searing York heat as they blew away Catalans Dragons, winning 36-12.
This was an outstanding performance, particularly in the second-half as Willie Peters’ side simply overawed the Dragons. They could not keep up with their speed, fitness or intensity. Rovers ran away with it in the end.
Peters’ side have been excellent this year but this was arguably their best yet. With the stakes so high, the expectation so fierce, they showed up, attacked it head on and proved far, far too good for a Dragons side left out on their feet.
The main talking point before the game was the Hull KR teamsheet. Oliver Gildart did not win the race against time after his knee injury last week and missed out. James Batchelor moved to centre, but it was Jai Whitbread who then covered in the back-row, rather than Kelepi Tanginoa, who remained on the bench.
Batchelor scored a crucial try while playing on the wing against Leeds a few weeks ago, and he added to his collection for the year inside five minutes. Mikey Lewis had the smarts to spot young fullback Guillerme Aispuro-Bichet out of position, he stabbed a kick into the space and it was Batchelor who won the race to give them a perfect start to the game.
Catalans were looking to spread the ball to make metres against a dominant Rovers defence. But when they put the ball down on their own 20, Rovers were ready to strike and they did with an unusual try. Mikey Lewis appeared to have given himself up when he went through a gap, seemingly implying there was an obstruction. That wasn’t given, the ball went to ground and there was a scramble to dot it down. It went to the video referee who, after a lengthy review, determined there was no obstruction, that the ball had been knocked out of Lewis’ grip and that Batchelor had grounded the ball first. Try awarded, Lewis’ conversion took the score to 10-0 on 15 minutes.
But the Dragons would flare their nostrils and breathe fire into the game. An excellent solo score from Reimis Smith brought them back into it, stepping inside Peta Hiku to gallop to the line. Five minutes later, the Dragons were ahead. A high-contested kick went to ground and Keary was on hand to retrieve it for the score.
Naturally, nerves crept into the stadium at that point, but on the field, the response was excellent. Rovers got back to the task, won a penalty and got a crucial score to put them ahead. Tyrone May sunk into the line, tipped onto Whitbread who excellently punched through the tackle, freed his arm and offloaded to Lewis, who finished the play off, adding the extras in the process. It gave Rovers a 16-12 lead at half-time.
Joe Burgess comically said on the BBC at half-time that some of Catalans’ larger players (he didn’t say it quite as politely as that) were starting to fatigue (he didn’t say that so politely either). However, he was proven right.
Rovers came out firing in the second half, Catalans looked busted. Rovers added a penalty goal in the opening minutes of the half after marching down field and causing Catalans to try and delay play.
Rovers just stuck to the task, churning out sets, defending tough and trying to fatigue the Dragons. That they just did. The telltale sign was when they couldn’t get out of their own 20 in one set. Rovers started 30 out and when the Dragons defence parted, Broadbent weaved through and scored a simple try untouched. Lewis’ conversion took the game out to 12 points.
At this point the game wasn’t done, but it felt like it. Catalans were out on their feet and it was telling more by the minute. Rovers had them. They should have put the game to bed when Litten raced through a gaping hole. He passed to Hadley and to Catalans’ credit, they scrambled back. But a few minutes later, the contest was over. Tanginoa breached the defence down the left, found Burgess out wide and his pass to Broadbent put him to the posts. It was party time in York, Rovers and their supporters knew they were home.
The celebrations continued with another try. Dragons kicked out on the full, Rovers swung to the left again and Burgess dived home. It was party time.
Rovers fans didn’t shut up from there, ‘Wembley again, ole, ole’ was the song, before a rendition of Erasure. You rarely get to enjoy the closing moments of a semi-final like this. Rovers will now hope they get to do the same at Wembley in just over a month’s time.
Hull KR: Jack Broadbent, Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, James Batchelor, Joe Burgess, Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Sauaso Sue, Jez Litten, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Dean Hadley, Jai Whitbread, Elliot Minchella. Subs: Sam Luckley, Kelepi Tanginoa, Jack Brown, Bill Leyland.
Tries: Batchelor (5, 15), Lewis (30), Broadbent (54, 69), Burgess (73)
Goals: Lewis 6/7
Catalans Dragons: Guillerme Aispuro-Bichet, Tommy Makinson, Mathieu Laguerre, Reimis Smith, Nick Cotric, Luke Keary, Theo Fages, Tevita Pangai jrn, Alrix Da Costa, Julian Bousquet, Elliott Whitehead, Tariq Sims, Oli Partington. Subs: Chris Satae, Romain Navarrete, Paul Seguier, Bayley Sironen.
Tries: Smith (19), Keary (24)
Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 2/2