Shocking Hull FC first half ramps up pressure on Tony Smith per pundits

Hull KR have absolutely blown Hull FC out of the water in the first half of the derby today on Good Friday, scoring six tries to none, and that’s led to calls from Sky Sports’ pundits Sam Tomkins and Jon Wilkin that Tony Smith is under huge pressure.

Knowing that they were facing a huge test given the poor form they carried into the game, all Hull FC will have wanted was to not concede easy tries and that’s what they did throughout the first forty minutes.

Mikey Lewis’ try in particular saw him break a line and then fend off three tacklers in what could be argued to be some of the poorest defence shown in Super League this season.

Trailing 28-0 at half time, the Black and Whites looked set to concede 50 or more points for the third game in a row and that’s led to calls from Sky Sports’ pundits Sam Tomkins and Jon Wilkin that the pressure has ramped up another level on Tony Smith.

Ex-Hull KR player Wilkin said: “I think he knows that there’s pressure at Hull FC. Regardless of what they say externally, they have lofty ambitions. They’re a club that expects to be there and thereabouts and they’re currently not.

“Tony Smith’s feeling that pressure and this performance today really doesn’t help because it’s lacklustre. It lacked energy and it lacked intensity and it lacked quality.”

“What can Tony say?” – Hull FC woes continue

Brian Carney then went on to ask the question of how Hull FC could possibly reframe the narrative if they were to keep conceding and ship another 50 points.

The presenter stated: “If you concede say 50 points in a derby match then talk about projects from the fans will go out the window and long-term planning will go out the window.”

To that Sam Tomkins bluntly responded:  “This will be the worst loss of the year if they go and concede 50 points. Tony Smith’s under pressure but what can he say at half-time to get Nu Brown to make a one-on-one tackle, or to tell the middles that when there’s three of you in the tackle to not let the player offload.

“It’s the basics that they’re getting wrong. I’m not sure what Tony can say half-time to make them change what they did in that first forty.”

Jon Wilkin, who had previously questioned the effort of Hull FC, responded to Tomkins in regard to what Tony Smith could do in an equally blunt manner: “He can’t say anything, the game is done. It’s done and in the bin.”

Despite that claim, Hull FC have since scored two tries to pull the game back to 28-10 which suggests that maybe the comeback is on.