HULL KR 30 BRISBANE BRONCOS 24
DAVE CRAVEN, MKM Stadium, Thursday

OUTSTANDING Hull KR are officially kings of the world.

Last year’s treble-winners made yet more history as they added a maiden World Club Challenge to their haul on an epic night at the home of fierce rivals Hull FC.

Willie Peters’ side brought NRL champions Brisbane Broncos to their knees when marching into a 30-4 lead – and then dramatically held off a truly thrilling comeback attempt from their star-studded opponents.

When 18-0 ahead after just 22 sublime minutes, any Rovers fans wearing specially-made Specsavers gigs that vowed to turn the Black and Whites’ stadium Robin Red, must have been frantically making sure they were real.

What KR supporters were watching was out of this world. They sized up the formidable NRL champions and decided to ignore all the hype and just go to town on them.

Reece Walsh? The Aussie superstar who destroyed England in the Ashes last autumn didn’t know what hit him.

It was generally Joe Burgess, the Rovers winger who revealed in the week part of his career-best form had come from packing in porn, who bore down on him every time a kick went up in his direction.

Brisbane were vocal in saying they came here to take the title home and had duly prepped so.

But preparations can so often be left in tatters. Just ask Corey Jensen.

The Broncos prop saw his night ended after a matter of seconds after taking an accidental blow to the head when trying to tackle Sauaso Sue.

There wasn’t much accidental about Elliot Minchella’s forearm to the face of grounded Deine Mariner which saw the game boil over after just 80 seconds.

The Hull KR skipper was penalised. But it was the only thing his side did wrong until Oliver Gildart coughed up a pass in the 27th minute.

In contrast, Brisbane were a mess – although that would change.

Tom Amone took just six minutes to make his mark on debut for the Robins, the ex-Leigh and Castleford prop crashing over off Tyrone May’s grubber.

Walsh spilled Mikey Lewis’ high kick under more pressure from Burgess to give position for Minchella to score from Jez Litten’s smart short pass.

When Queensland State of Origin fullback Walsh did manage to claim the next towering kick heading his way, even winning a quick play-the-ball, it still ended in a mistake, Kotoni Staggs fumbling when picking up.

KR ruthlessly punished Michael Maguire’s team again, Peta Hiku palming down May’s kick to Litten who waited patiently before sliding in a perfect kick for Burgess to get a deserved score.

Rhyse Martin slotted the first of his three goals and his side could have been in again after a Mourgue break as Brisbane looked bust.

But when Gildart made the Robins’ first mistake of the night, the visitors pounced with Gehamat Shibasaki’s try.

Litten did brilliantly to hold up Ezra Mam over the line – Mourgue suffering an arm injury in the build-up – and when Walsh produced a dazzling run from deep, KR looked like being on the ropes for the first time.

But, summing up the superstar’s difficult night, he kicked ahead instead of finding support and the ball rolled harmlessly dead.

Jai Whitbread and Karl Lawton also doubled up to deny Cory Paix on the stroke of half-time as the hosts went in 18-4 ahead.

Unsurprisingly, Brisbane came out stronger in the second period, Shibasaki going close to a second but coughing up when sliding for the line.

And that proved crucial. In the next set, KR marched downfield, Mariner messed up Lewis’ hanging kick and Martin fed Oliver Gildart to score.

Martin improved the 50th-minute effort and ex-Penrith star May, who was immense, soon created a try for Hiku, Martin making it 30-4.

It seemed there was no way back. But this Brisbane side, as illustrated on their run to last year’s NRL glory, just love a comeback.

They scored three tries via Patrick Carrigan, Mariner and Shibasaki in a crazy five-minute spell starting just after the hour, Adam Reynolds converting twice to leave rocked Rovers desperately holding on.

When Staggs clawed back more points with a 77th-minute try, KR’s long-time owner Neil Hudgell was spotted with his head in his hands fearing the worst.

He could rest easy, though. His shattered side – quite literally in the case of workhorse Dean Hadley, the official man of the match who finished with a suspected fractured eye socket – held on to send the bulk of a capacity 24,600 crowd ecstatic.

GAMESTAR: Jez Litten was superb, both at hooker and later at half, although Dean Hadley pushed him so, so close.

GAMEBREAKER: Only when the ball went to ground as desperate Brisbane tried to go from deep with seconds left was this game truly over.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Joe Burgess rattling Reece Walsh so much set the tone for Hull KR – but the brilliant Aussie almost got his own back.

MATCHFACTS

HULL KR
1 Arthur Mourgue
2 Tom Davies
3 Peta Hiku
4 Oliver Gildart
5 Joe Burgess
6 Mikey Lewis
7 Tyrone May
8 Sauaso Sue
9 Jez Litten
10 Tom Amone (D)
11 Dean Hadley
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Subs (all used)
15 Sam Luckley
16 Jai Whitbread
17 Rhyse Martin
19 Karl Lawton
18th man (not used)
14 Jack Broadbent
Also in 21-man squad
18 Jack Brown
22 Bill Leyland
29 Tom Whitehead

Tries: Amone (6), Minchella (12), Burgess (22), Gildart (50), Hiku (56)
Goals: Mourgue 2/2, Martin 3/3

BRONCOS
1 Reece Walsh
2 Josiah Karapani
3 Kotoni Staggs
4 Gehamat Shibasaki
5 Deine Mariner
6 Ezra Mam
7 Adam Reynolds
8 Corey Jensen
9 Cory Paix
10 Payne Haas
11 Jack Gosiewski
12 Jordan Riki
13 Patrick Carrigan
Subs (all used)
14 Ben Hunt
15 Xavier Willison
16 Ben Talty
17 Aublix Tawha
18th man (not used)
18 Kieran Purdy
Also in 21-man squad
19 Blake Mozer
20 Grant Anderson
21 Jaiyden Hunt

Tries: Shibasaki (28, 65), Carrigan (60), Mariner (62), Staggs (76)
Goals: Reynolds 2/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 18-4; 24-4, 30-4, 30-10, 30-16, 30-20, 30-24

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull KR: Jez Litten; Broncos: Reece Walsh

Penalty count: 4-4
Half-time: 18-4
Referee: Liam Moore
Attendance: 24,600