Hull KR stun Warrington to go top of Super League

Betfred Super League

Warrington (0) 4

Try: Ashton

Hull KR (10) 22

Tries: Sue, May, Lewis, Hiku Goals: Lewis, Litten 2

Hull KR produced an outstanding display to leapfrog Warrington Wolves and go top of the Super League.

They were faster out of the blocks and then showed dogged defence to inflict a first defeat in six games on the Wolves.

The result took them top on points difference ahead of champions Wigan Warriors, who have a game in hand to play against Leigh Leopards on Tuesday (20:00 BST).

Samoa pair Sauaso Sue and Tyrone May scored tries in the first half, with Mikey Lewis and Peta Hiku crossing in the second to confirm the two points for the Robins.

Warrington, for whom Matty Ashton got their only try, slipped to third with this result, having started the week in top spot.

Hull KR are looking to become English champions for the first time since 1985

Super League's coming forces

Heading into this match, Warrington had won five in a row, as well as having the league's best attack and most miserly defence - the perfect combination.

The feeling that something is building at the Halliwell Jones Stadium is tangible and even more so with the news that head coach Sam Burgess has extended his contract until 2026.

But the same could be said of Hull KR, who were beaten in last year's Challenge Cup final and look well placed to better their fourth-placed finish and record their best-ever Super League campaign.

Since their cup semi-final defeat in May, Willie Peters' team have won eight out of nine matches, with the only loss being in a golden-point game to Catalan Dragons.

The Robins did not seem intimidated by Warrington's big wins over St Helens and Wigan in the previous two games and they took the game to their hosts from the off.

Prop Sue drove between two defenders to crash over from a few yards out before his international team-mate May added a second score as Lewis floated up a teasing kick for his half-back partner to out-jump Wolves full-back Matt Dufty to touch down.

It could have been more as two tries were ruled out by the video referee Liam Moore.

Warrington then thought they had found a way back into the game when Josh Thewlis raced clear to score, but after a lengthy delay it was ruled that prop Luke Yates had knocked on in completing a tackle on Lewis, who had lost control of the ball.

There was further frustration after Josh Drinkwater looked to have gone over but excellent Hull KR defence stopped him from grounding the ball.

Hull KR scrum half Mikey Lewis scored a try and kicked a goal in another influential display

The visitors continued to repel Warrington attacks after the break, with Lewis making a try-saving tackle on centre Rodrick Tai.

But the pressure told when Ashton went over in the corner to get his team on the scoreboard after a good miss-pass from Dufty.

Yet the away side extended their lead when Lewis' kick was knocked down by Ryan Hall and the fly-half reacted fastest to the loose ball and dived over the line.

That score knocked the stuffing out of Warrington and it was left to Hiku to add late gloss to the scoreline with a classic centre’s try.

It is the first time this season that Hull KR have been top of the table, but with seven games to go, they showed that they should be considered genuine contenders for both the League Leaders’ Shield and a place in the Grand Final at Old Trafford on 12 October.

Hull KR assistant coach Danny Ward told BBC Radio Humberside:

“It was an outstanding performance - really, really pleasing. Hopefully it was a good game to watch, because it was pretty nervy up here at times.

“Warrington had their say and they are a fantastic team and you have to enjoy nights like these. Seeing the Rovers fans going mental behind the sticks really is a sight.

“It was a pleasing win, we really had to dig in. They had a lot of pressure on our line, certainly in the first half, so massive rap to the boys today, they’ve been fantastic.”

Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess:

“I thought Hull KR were brilliant. They controlled us everywhere, ran harder than us and tackled harder than us.

“We got away from our structure, trying to chase it a bit. That’s because of the pressure they put on us.

“Sometimes you have to give credit to the other team, but we looked a bit tired and they made us pay.

“There are loads of lessons to learn and we know our performance was nowhere near good enough for where we want to go.

“The competition is totally on. They showed us that and we have got a bit of work to do.”

Warrington: Dufty; Thewlis, Tai, Lindop, Ashton; Williams, Drinkwater; Yates, Powell, Vaughan, Nicholson, Holroyd, Currie.

Interchanges: Musgrove, Crowther, Walker, Bateman.

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

Interchanges: Litten, Luckley, Tanginoa, Brown.

Referee: Jack Smith