HULL KR 12 YORK KNIGHTS 26
STEVE MASCORD, NRCA Stadion, Amsterdam, Saturday
YORK paid dearly for an historic win over youthful Hull KR on an otherwise buoyant afternoon for the sport in Amsterdam.
Before 2,715 fans at the home of Dutch rugby union, assistant coach Danny Ward saw Rovers led 12-10 at half-time before the more experienced York powered through them in the second session, Connor Bailey’s 67th-minute try opening up a 14-point lead which the Knights sat on until full-time.
But ahead of a Challenge Cup tie against Keighley, there were casualties.
Fullback Will Dagger, playing against his former club, suffered a category one concussion meaning a mandatory eleven-day stand-down, while winger Brad Ward and replacement forward Kieran Hudson suffered hamstring tears that could sideline each of them for two months.
It was a sombre postscript for an event that could scarcely have been more positive.
With at least 50 percent of the crowd made up of locals and – anecdotally – many of them having not seen rugby of either code, Mark Applegarth’s men upset the apple cart from the start when second-rower Jesse Dee crashed over to the left of the posts after just three minutes, with Dagger converting.
Hull KR responded quickly as centre Louis Gorman snatched Ata Hingano’s pass out of the air with a York try looming and raced 90 metres to score, scrum-half Danny Richardson converting.
It was an even contest with plenty of thrills and spills to keep the Dutch fans enthralled.
At 22 minutes, Hingano’s pass on the left went to ground and quick-thinking Levi Edwards hacked it ahead before chasing the Steeden into the in-goal and dotting down for an unconverted try.
Hull KR replacement Leo Tennison then crossed after a nice pass in traffic from prop Jack Martin and the Robins were back in front – with Richardson making a bird of it for 12-10.
With four minutes left in the first half, stand-off Hingano dived full-stretch chasing a kick and claimed to have another York try. When referee Marcus Griffths ruled otherwise, the Tongan international erupted and was dispatched to the sin bin.
“Whenever you come up against the referees, you can never win that one,” the former New Zealand Warrior laughed.
“Next time I’ve got to just bite my tongue and get back in the line.”
The second half was only two minutes old when the experienced York, guided around the Dutch park by former Man of Steel Paul McShane, began to make their older heads count.
Wily scrum-half Liam Harris stepped off his right foot against disorganised defence and then planted the ball on the line, Richardson converting.
Replacement Myles Harrison was next to cross the stripe for a touchdown created by Harris, who was being afforded more space as the match went on.
Hull KR were decisively on the back foot and after withstanding a period without Eribe Doro, who was yellow carded for a high shot on Dagger, it was Bailey, the former Wakefield and Newcastle player, who put the matter beyond doubt.
Ward was philosophical about the defeat, saying: “We expected it would be a tough test and that’s what we got. York played really well and they were hard to break down.
“Some lads really stood up and had a good crack. For some others it was a real challenge to play at that level.”
GAMESTAR: Paul McShane enjoyed a strong first outing in York colours.
GAMEBREAKER: Two quick tries after half-time tilted matters decisively in favour of the Knights.
MATCHFACTS
HULL KR
18 Jack Broadbent
33 Harvey Horne
29 Louix Gorman
32 Connor Barley
23 Lee Kershaw
22 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
19 Danny Richardson
21 Jack Brown
25 Bill Leyland
24 Eribe Doro
20 Kelepi Tanginoa
27 Leon Ruan
28 Zach Fishwick
Subs (all used)
31 Lennie Ellis
– Luke Phoenix
– Aaron Powell
34 Neil Tchamambe
30 Leo Tennison
26 AJ Wallace
– Freddie Watts
Tries: Gorman (10), Tennison (30)
Goals: Richardson 2/2
Sin bin: Doro (48) – high tackle
KNIGHTS
1 Will Dagger
2 Joe Brown
3 Kieran Buchanan
23 Levi Edwards
5 Brad Ward
6 Ata Hingano
7 Liam Harris
8 Jack Martin
9 Paul McShane
13 Jordan Thompson
11 Jesse Dee
12 Connor Bailey
16 Jacob Gannon
Subs (all used)
14 Sam Cook
11 Brenden Santi
31 Kieran Hudson
20 Oli Field
21 Conor Fitzsimmons
4 Joe Law
14 Taylor Pemberton
26 Myles Harrison
29 Jude Ferreira
15 Jack Teanby
Tries: Dee (3), Edwards (23), Harris (42), Harrison (45), Bailey (67)
Goals: Dagger 2/3, Harris 0/1, Harrison 1/1
Sin bin: Hingano (32) – dissent
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-10, 12-10, 12-16, 12-20, 12-26
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull KR: Jack Brown; Knights: Paul McShane
Half-time: 12-10
Referee: Marcus Griffiths
Attendance: 2,715
