Challenge Cup holders Hull KR progressed to the quarter-finals of the competition with a resounding 52-12 win over Huddersfield Giants.
These teams faced off at the same venue last week with Hull KR winning 32-6 and this week it was an even wider margin of victory with the Robins scoring nine tries in what was a comfortable win.
Luke Robinson handed out three debuts with the two starting wingers featuring for the first time but the major loss was at full-back with George Flanagan ruled out due to an injury sustained last week. For Hull KR, Willie Peters went near full strength with the suspended Karl Lawton replaced by Bill Leyland, whilst James Batchelor was rested in favour of Tom Whitehead.
Whitehead was first on the scoreboard as the Giants let a high kick bounce with Mikey Lewis quickly adding a second. Huddersfield did hit back after a brilliant move started and finished by Taane Milne, however, Peta Hiku, Tom Amone and another Mikey Lewis followed before the break.
Bill Leyland started the second-half scoring as he exposed the Giants’ poor defence, something KR did again on the restart thanks to a break down the left that was finished off by Sam Luckley. Oliver Gildart and Jack Broadbent added the eighth and ninth before the hour with Broadbent brilliantly dummying the full-back.
It looked like no more points would be scored but Taane Milne bagged his second with an intercept on the final play of the game, summing up what had been a sloppy second half from the victors Hull KR. Here are our talking points from the fourth round Challenge Cup tie between Huddersfield Giants and Hull KR.
Huddersfield Giants v Hull KR talking points
How do Huddersfield survive?
It’s a shocking and harsh question on the face of it but it’s also extremely valid given how few fans turned out to watch them today. There’s a number of reasons why the turnout would be so poor, including the fact Challenge Cup games don’t come under a season ticket, these sides played last week, and the fact the Giants have so many players out, but it didn’t stop 2,000 Hull KR fans travelling across.
They outsung and seemingly outnumbered the home fans who have been dwindling in numbers over the years and it’s reaching a point where you become concerned about the future. Ken Davy has made it clear that he wants to move to a new and smaller stadium but the Giants would have no hope of even filling an 8,000 capacity ground at the moment.
A crowd of 6,451 attended their first game, however, that was bolstered as a result of a deal on tickets for Huddersfield Town fans. Compare that to their round four attendance of 4,827 and today’s poor crowd, it’s hard to see how this improves.
Could KR have rotated more?
Bill Leyland was afforded all of the second-half whilst Tom Whitehead started and played long minutes, however, you’re left wondering if Willie Peters should have rotated his side more given what happened to Warrington Wolves last year after Las Vegas.
The likes of Noah Booth and Jack Charles looked like prime candidates to get longer minutes, whilst Jack Brown who has regularly been the 18th man also didn’t feature. With the fears of fatigue stacking up later this year, particularly now they’ve progressed to the quarter-finals and will still need to make up their game against Warrington, this could have been a game where Willie Peters rotated his squad more.
Purple patch offers hope?
Despite the above doommongering about Huddersfield Giants’ future, there were some green shoots for the Giants, in particular a five-minute period before half-time.
It’s clutching at straws to pick out such small periods in an 80-minute game but the Giants were able to pin Hull KR on their line and they were able to force plenty of errors, without having the final touch.
With Niall Evalds, Adam Clune and Zac Woolford all close to a return, their spine play and effectiveness in those decisive moments will hopefully improve and perhaps the Giants can kick on and get their season started.
Peta Hiku
The 33-year-old is off-contract at the end of the year but performances like this, even against poor opposition, will make the Robins think very strongly about re-signing the centre.
He was absolutely dominant as Hull KR exposed Huddersfield’s left edge all game long with Hiku making metres for fun as he put in a season-best performance. It’s now on the former New Zealand international to take this form forwards and give the higher-ups at Hull KR more headaches about his off-contract status.
Challenge Cup defence continues
Hull KR currently hold all the silverware and they still have a chance of retaining the Challenge Cup with this win. They’ll be in the draw for the quarter-finals on Monday with all of Wakefield Trinity, Wigan Warriors, York Knights and Warrington Wolves in the hat so far.
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