Featherstone Rovers have the pre-season bragging rights against their rivals Castleford Tigers after defeating the young Tigers this New Year’s Eve friendly underlining their potential ahead of the new year.
Highlights:
New signings shine
It was in the halves where new signings stood out. Young Frenchman Thomas Lacans caught the eye with a brilliant tackle in the first half and a great try in the second half. Meanwhile, Jack Broadbent, perhaps out of position, scored a lovely individual try.
Gale at the double
The impressive Gareth Gale took his two tries well in the corner ahead of what should be another impressive campaign.
Derby day bust up
It wouldn’t have been a derby day between Castleford Tigers and Featherstone Rovers without a bit of a bust up. Cain Robb and Josh Hardcastle were both sin binned in the first half.
Match Report:
It didn’t take long for Featherstone to get the scoring going against their rivals. It was the perfect start to the day you might say as Brad Day scored from a kick early in the game to give the Rovers the lead and debutant and ex-Wigan Warriors man Chris Hankinson then stepped up to notch his first points for the club with a conversion.
Then try scoring machine Gareth Gale made it 10-0 when, after the Tigers were penalised for a strip, the Rovers moved the ball wide to Gale who juggled and scored in the corner.
The Tigers gave a few warning shots when Jack Broadbent’s kick nearly created a try for former Leeds Rhinos teammate Alex Sutcliffe.
A few minutes later they got over the line thanks to an intercept from Bureta Faraimo from which the ball was moved left for young Elliot Wallis to score in the corner.
Unsurprisingly, there was a bit of a derby day bust up with Cain Robb and Josh Hardcastle sent to the sin bin and in their absence Broadbent crossed for a debut try cutting through and sprinting away. Halfback partner and fellow debutant Jacob Hookem levelled the game with a goal.
However, just before the break Craig Kopczak crashed over under the sticks to make it 16-10 at the break.
After a cagey start to the second half, the Rovers pulled through clear as impressive new signing Thomas Lacans, who earlier in the game produced a stunning tackle, chipped over and regathered to give the Rovers a 12-point lead.
A second try in this five minute spell, the Rovers won the game when Gale went in for a second on the wing making it 26-10 with Hankinson missing the attempt at goal.
