HULL KR 68 CATALANS DRAGONS 6
JAMES CHESTNEY, Sewell Group Craven Park, Friday
THE Challenge Cup party continued as Hull KR gave a record home crowd of over 11,000 both a homecoming and a biggest ever win over Catalans.
Jack Broadbent took the man of the match but it could have been any one of the 17 on the field, and in truth the final total could have been even greater than this twelve-try demolition.
This was a non-contest even before frustrated Dragons captain Ben Garcia was sent off in the 26th minute for throwing punches.
His side avoided a fourth successive nilling but set a new Super League record by reaching 312 minutes without scoring a point.
Rovers went into this game without Joe Burgess, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Michael McIlorum and Sam Luckley, but the players who came in slotted seamlessly.
The Dragons were able to recall six players including Tariq Sims and Tevita Pangai Jnr, but from minute one they were truly second best.
It looked like the Dragons had finally broken their scoring drought early on when Garcia caught Rovers napping but he was superbly held up by Broadbent.
Rovers then turned the game in their favour, running in seven first-half tries ably helped by the visitors.
Tom Davies was the first man in when he took an Arthur Mourgue pass to go in the corner, the Frenchman landing the first of five goals from seven first-half attempts.
Two minutes later, after Tevita Satae was offside, Tyrone May found James Batchelor for the first of an opening 40-minute brace.
Fans favourite Sauaso Sue then showed great footwork to step the Dragons defence after a great Davies break. From the restart the prop went off for an HIA, but did return later in the half.
The Dragons then imploded as firstly substitute Franck Maria was sin-binned for a high tackle, and then skipper Garcia was sent off for punching both Elliot Minchella and Jai Whitbread.
The visitors were made to pay emphatically as Kelepi Tanginoa forced his way over before a great team try saw Broadbent collect a superb inside ball from Noah Booth.
Four minutes from half-time Batchelor grabbed his second, before Mikey Lewis went in off Broadbent for a very healthy 38-0 half-time lead and it was already game over.
Seven minutes into the second half Sue showed more great footwork to go in again, with Mourgue adding another conversion – he ended the game with ten goals from twelve attempts and a 20-point personal haul.
After those 312 long minutes, the Dragons finally got over the line through Luke Keary when he cut through a for-once static Rovers defence, with Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet adding the conversion.
Normal service was resumed three minutes later with a second Lewis try, before Booth went in from Broadbent.
The Robins’ momentum continued with further tries from Whitbread and the impressive Tyrone May in the final three minutes.
Hull KR remain top of the table and as they paraded the Challenge Cup after the match, who says more silverware will not be on its way to the club?
GAMESTAR: Jack Broadbent who was just too hot to handle in both attack and defence.
GAMEBREAKER: Ben Garcia’s dismissal, with his side already 18-0 down and just 27 minutes gone.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: The Jack Broadbent try which saw Catalans stretched before Noah Booth’s inside ball.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Jack Broadbent (Hull KR)
2 pts Tyrone May (Hull KR)
1 pt James Batchelor (Hull KR)
MATCHFACTS
HULL KR
35 Arthur Mourgue
2 Tom Davies
3 Peta Hiku
18 Jack Broadbent
36 Noah Booth
6 Mikey Lewis
7 Tyrone May
8 Sauaso Sue
9 Jez Litten
11 Dean Hadley
16 Jai Whitbread
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Subs (all used)
20 Kelepi Tanginoa
21 Jack Brown
24 Eribe Doro
25 Bill Leyland
18th man (not used)
19 Danny Richardson
Also in 21-man squad
15 Sam Luckley
27 Leon Ruan
33 Harvey Horne
Tries: Davies (14), Batchelor (16, 36), Sue (21, 47), Tanginoa (28), Broadbent (33), Lewis (39, 64), Booth (71), Whitbread (77), May (79)
Goals: Mourgue 10/12
DRAGONS
25 Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
2 Tommy Makinson
23 Matthieu Laguerre
4 Reimis Smith
5 Nick Cotric
6 Luke Keary
21 Théo Fages
15 Tevita Satae
14 Alrix Da Costa
10 Julian Bousquet
3 Arthur Romano
9 Ben Garcia
13 Oliver Partington
Subs (all used)
8 Tevita Pangai Jnr
11 Tariq Sims
17 Bayley Sironen
24 Franck Maria
18th man (not used)
29 Léo Darrélatour
Also in 21-man squad
1 Sam Tomkins
16 Romain Navarrete
18 César Rougé
Tries: Keary (61)
Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 1/1
Sin bin: Maria (24) – high tackle
Dismissal: Garcia (26) – punching
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 22-0, 26-0, 32-0, 38-0; 44-0, 44-6, 50-6, 56-6, 62-6, 68-6
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull KR: Jack Broadbent; Dragons: Luke Keary
Penalty count: 6-0
Half-time: 38-0
Referee: Tom Grant
Attendance: 11,350