Super League: Huddersfield Giants 12-24 Hull KR - Robins end losing run at off-key hosts

Hull KR ended their two-game losing Super League run with a dominant victory over off-colour Huddersfield.

Rovers were ruthless rather than relentless in the opening 40 with tries from Joe Burgess and Jez Litten, as the hosts grafted without reward.

Peta Hiku's double then took the game away from the Giants, who struggled to impose themselves after the break.

Ryan Hall added try five, but Kevin Naiqama and Adam Swift scores ensured Huddersfield avoided a shutout.

Only points difference separated these two teams in the Super League table before kick-off, but there was much to part them on the field when it came to creating, and crucially, taking chances.

Willie Peters' Robins put defeats by Warrington and Salford behind them to pour more pressure on the Giants and their head coach Ian Watson, on whom there is much expectation to deliver success after extensive recruitment.

When Hall went over there were dissenting groans from the supporters whose patience appears to be stretched thin by the mixed start to the season.

The visitors' attacking axis of Tyrone May, Mikey Lewis and Niall Evalds, complemented by interchanging hookers Jez Litten and Matt Parcell, were given the opportunities to influence that were not afforded to opposite numbers Adam Clune, Jake Connor and Tui Lolohea.

There was variety about the Rovers points; Burgess' score came from a smart scrum-play, Litten's after Huddersfield were marched back behind their line and coughed up the ball.

Hiku took a Lewis kick and grounded before finishing off Evalds' turbo-charged line-busting run, while Hall took a perfect offload finish in the corner.

Huddersfield finally mounted a response late on, as Naiqama steamed through a gap and Swift touched down after a slick move out wide.

In truth, Rovers always looked comfortable and only three missed conversions gave the scoreline a more flattering look for the hosts.

Huddersfield head coach Ian Watson:

"The first four (games) were really good in terms of stepping forward every week, but it was a little bit of a bump today.

"We didn't start the game as well as we planned to and where we fell down today was just some fundamental skills."

Hull KR head coach Willie Peters:

"Peta's attitude has been outstanding, he's bought into everything we're doing and he's a really important part of what we do.

"I'm really proud that he went out and performed the way he did today because some people have had some strong opinions of him based around his kicking, which is something we struggled with and he put his hand up for.

"I think we're on track to being the team that we want to be. We're certainly not the finished product - there's areas today we need to improve on.

"When you look at teams like Wigan and St Helens, they find ways to win when they're not playing at their best and that's what we need to get to. When things aren't going our way we need to win ugly."

Huddersfield: Connor; Swift, Marsters, Naiqama, Halsall; Russell, Clune; Hill, Milner, Ikahihifo, Murchie, Hewitt, Cudjoe

Interchanges: Lolohea, Yates, Rushton, Wilson [Golding]

Hull KR: Evalds; Burgess, Hiku, Gildart, Hall; May, Lewis; Sue, Litten, Whitbread, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella

Interchanges: King, Parcell, Luckley, Tanginoa [Storton]

Referee: Tom Grant.