HULL KR​​ 52 ST HELENS​ 10
JAMES CHESTNEY, Sewell Group Craven Park, Friday

WORLD champions Hull KR enjoyed a superb homecoming with a stunning demolition of injury-ravaged St Helens.

Mikey Lewis showed his true class, notching a hat-trick of tries and landing eight goals from ten attempts for a 28-point haul, while there were also three tries for Joe Burgess.

The tone was set for Saints when George Delaney knocked the ball on from the kick-off. A Lewis crossfield kick then saw winger Burgess leap the highest to take the ball and plant over the line and while Lewis couldn’t add the extras, Hull KR were on their way.

Rovers dominated possession and territory from early on, and thought they had extended their lead when Lewis and Oliver Gildart combined to play in Burgess but his try claim was turned down for having a hand in touch.

However the home faithful, seeing their side at Craven Park for the first time since beating Saints in last year’s play-off semi-final, didn’t have to wait much longer as the ball went from one side to the other and the persistence of Lewis saw him break through and get the ball down despite three Saints defenders.

Lewis added the conversion and an 18th-minute penalty from 30 meters out when skipper Elliot Minchella was hit late by Saints prop David Klemmer.

It got even better for the Robins when a superb Tyrone May defence-splitting run led to an inside ball to Jez Litten and the hooker did the rest with Lewis adding the conversion for 18-0.

That lead was further extended just two minutes later when Burgess took the outside line and sold a dummy to Tristan Sailor before racing over in the corner, and Lewis landed a superb touchline goal.

As the minutes ticked down to half-time a successful captain’s challenge for a knock-on by Harry Robertson saw a break from Jai Whitbread who, even with St Helens defenders on his back, managed to offload to Lewis for a converted try.

The last moments of the first half finally saw a Saints attack after a Burgess forward pass to Gildart, but the Robins defence remained strong to ensure they went in at half-time with a tremendous 30-0 half-time lead.

Saints came out for the second half stronger and scored an early try when the ball went wide for Owen Dagnall, but Jackson Hastings failed to convert.

Rovers hit back and in true champion style as Burgess and Lewis both completed their hat-tricks in quick time.

Lost possession by Hastings ten metres from his own line then saw an easy try for James Batchelor as Lewis continued to slot over the conversions.

The home side hit the half-century just after the hour when the ball once again ended in the arms of Burgess and this time he turned it inside to a grateful Whitbread.

Lewis made it eight from ten as his side led 52-4, although Saints had the final word on a miserable night for them with a late Shane Wright try which Hastings converted.

GAMESTAR: Joe Burgess scored a fabulous hat-trick of his own but it was Mikey Lewis who made Hull KR tick.

GAMEBREAKER: The three tries in a nine-minute spell midway through the first half which saw the Robins into a 24-0 lead.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Mikey Lewis’s try on eleven minutes as the former Man of Steel showed his class, twisting and turning his way through to the line.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Mikey Lewis (Hull KR)
2 pts Joe Burgess (Hull KR)
1 pt Jack Broadbent (Hull KR)

MATCHFACTS

HULL KR
14 Jack Broadbent
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
11 Dean Hadley
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Subs (all used)
15 Sam Luckley
16 Jai Whitbread
18 Jack Brown
21 Noah Booth
18th man (not used)
19 Bill Leyland
Also in 21-man squad
20 Jordan Dezaria
24 Jack Charles
29 Tom Whitehead

Tries: Burgess (2, 25, 47), Lewis (11, 33, 52), Litten (23), Batchelor (57), Whitbread (61)
Goals: Lewis 8/10

SAINTS
3 Harry Robertson
24 Owen Dagnall
4 Mark Percival
5 Deon Cross
20 Lewis Murphy
6 Tristan Sailor
31 Jackson Hastings
13 David Klemmer
18 Jake Wingfield
15 George Delaney
12 Shane Wright
16 Matt Whitley
22 Joe Shorrocks
Subs (all used)
9 Daryl Clark
19 Agnatius Paasi
21 Noah Stephens
28 Jake Davies
18th man (not used)
29 Alfie Sinclair
Also in 21-man squad
– Tom Humphreys
– Billy Keeley
– Cole Marsh

Tries: Dagnall (42), Wright (71)
Goals: Hastings 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 12-0, 18-0, 24-0, 30-0; 30-4, 36-4, 40-4, 46-4, 52-4, 52-10

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull KR: Mikey Lewis; Saints: Noah Stephens

Penalty count: 7-2
Half-time: 30-0
Referee: Liam Moore
Attendance: 12,169