Rivals Round is always one of the most intriguing weeks on the Super League calendar and it certainly did not disappoint this season. Hull KR and Wigan Warriors were the winners in the highly anticipated Good Friday derbies, with both games being hotly contested.
Wakefield Trinity needed a Mason Lino drop goal to come from 12 points down to beat Castleford Tigers on Thursday night. Leeds Rhinos eased through the challenge of Huddersfield Giants, while Leigh Leopards moved back into the top three with an 18-14 win over Warrington Wolves on home soil.
Catalans Dragons brought the curtain down on the round as they beat Salford Red Devils on Saturday night. With Rivals Round in the books, we take a look at the winners and losers from the round.
Super League Rivals Round winners
Hull KR
Rovers suffered their first setback of the Super League season last week as they were beaten by Wigan Warriors on home soil. That defeat will have left a bitter taste in their mouth, particularly given the opposition, who beat KR in the Grand Final last year.
However, they bounced back from that in perfect fashion, by showing their grit and determination to come through the challenge of Hull FC. Oliver Gildart’s early try will have helped to dispel any lingering effects from last week, but they had to dig deep to claim the derby points with 12-men Hull FC throwing plenty at them.
Rovers had the answers more often than not, though, and they move on with wind in their sails once more.
George Whitby
Selecting Whitby over Jonny Lomax was certainly a bold call by Paul Wellens for such a high profile game. Many believed the experience and nous Lomax has in his locker might just give him the edge in the derby, but Wellens plumped for youth and he was more than vindicated with his selection.
The Saints didn’t get the win, of course, but in Whitby they have yet another future star. The half-back managed to build on his star showing against Wakefield Trinity by turning in another composed, mature and promising performance in a St Helens shirt, underlining the talent he has at his disposal.
Whether he keeps the spot for the rest of the season remains to be seen, but Whitby is certainly one to watch.
Rivals Round losers
Cade Cust
Hull FC man Cust was shown a red card in the 16th minute of the game against the Robins to leave his side with 12 men for over an hour. And, to make matters worse, he could now be looking at a ban that will rule him of at least one or two games.
Cust will feel there ought to have been some mitigation,, with the half-back chasing a Will Pryce kick through the line at pace, ensuring he had little choice but to clatter into Arthur Mourgue. However, as he braced himself for contact, Cust’s shoulder collided with Mourgue’s head in a way that gave referee Liam Moore no choice but to show him a red card.
The replays were pretty damning and Cust was dismissed without the need for too much thought from the officials.
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Castleford Tigers
The Tigers were inches away from just their second win of the season, but they were powerless to prevent Wakefield Trinity coming from 12 points down to win the game on Thursday night at Belle Vue. Castleford started so well with three first half tries putting them into a commanding 12-0 lead at the break.
They were good value for it, too, with the likes of Tex Hoy and Rowan Milnes pulling the home side apart at times. Momentum swung in the second half, though, and once Wakefield got themselves on the board, it was clear there was only going to be one winner as Castleford’s mental weakness began to show.
There were plenty of positives to take for Danny McGuire’s side and with winless Huddersfield Giants up next, they’ll fancy their chances of finally getting over the line, but that defeat will have certainly stung.
Sam Burgess
Warrington Wolves just haven’t managed to truly get going this season and after losing to Leigh Leopards on Saturday, they have now lost four of their opening eight games. The Wolves went into the game on the back of a loss to Hull FC and loss at Leigh means they now sit ninth in the Super League table.
There’s already a clear divide between Warrington and the bottom three, who have struggled to compete at all this season and they’re only two points off St Helens in fifth, so things can quickly turnaround. The loss of George Williams hasn’t helped, but it’s fair to say Sam Burgess will be feeling a little bit of early season pressure as he attempts to get the Wolves’ season on track.
Warrington have a tricky run of games coming up, too, with St Helens, Wigan Warriors, Wakefield Trinity and Hull KR, their next four league opponents. We’ll know a lot more about their credentials this time next month, then.
