Super League: Hull KR 10-18 Warrington Wolves - Wire maintain 100% start
- Published
Paul Vaughan scored for Warrington to give them an unassailable lead
Betfred Super League |
|---|
Hull KR (6) 10 |
Tries: Halton 2 Goal: Coote |
Warrington (12) 18 |
Tries: Mikaele, Nicholson, Vaughan Goals: Ratchford 3 |
Warrington Wolves had to come from behind to beat Hull KR and maintain their perfect start to the Super League season.
Frankie Halton put Rovers ahead, but tries from Thomas Mikaele and Matty Nicholson responded for the Wire.
Halton added the first points of the second period to reduce arrears, but Lachlan Coote missed a penalty to level.
Paul Vaughan then stomped over to secure the victory for Warrington.
Daryl Powell went into this game with Warrington as the newly-crowned coach of the month in Super League, but it was to be no curse as his side continued their sparkling start.
They tailed off sharply after winning their first three games in 2022, but there looks to be a far stronger core about the Wire in this campaign, encapsulated by a pack that proved telling in this game.
Rovers were without Kane Linnett through injury and had made a fine start of their own to 2023. Halton did a fine job as stand-in with two tries that echoed Scotland international Linnett's eye for the line - opening the scoring early on.
One criticism of Warrington last year was a perceived lack of punch up front, but they have beefed up that area as Vaughan and Sam Kasiano have given them a different dimension.
It was 2022 import Mikaele who set the ball rolling with a powerful run to the line, while Nicholson added a second before the break when he tracked George Williams' kick.
Halton's second try after the break gave Rovers hope but, having worked Warrington over without success, they were picked off late on when Vaughan finished under the sticks to quell any fightback.
Hull KR head coach Willie Peters:
"I am proud of the players, they kept fighting and they kept fighting to the end. I am happy with the players' performance.
"Warrington played well but I'm sure they know they were in a fight.
"It wasn't perfect but it's about working hard for each other and we did that. To play against a team like Warrington, they're going to put plenty of points on teams this season. They just took their opportunities and we didn't."
Warrington head coach Daryl Powell:
"The game was such a tough one, we knew it was going to be. With the ball I don't think we were really great and we just had to work really hard to win.
"A team grittiness which is right up there. Rugby league is one of those games you just have to win like that.
"It was a phenomenal team effort. In terms of the way we defended that is as tough a game as you are going to get."
Hull KR: Coote; Senior, Opacic, Wood, Hall; Lewis, Milnes; Luckley, Parcell, King, Halton, Batchelor, Hadley.
Interchanges: Sue, Litten, Kennedy, Storton.
Warrington: Dufty; Thewlis, Mata'utia, Ratchford, Ashton; Williams, Drinkwater; Mikaele, Clark, Vaughan, Currie, Nicholson, Kasiano.
Interchanges: Walker, Bullock, Whitehead, Minikin.
Referee: Jack Smith