It was second top against second bottom as Hull KR looked to climb back over the Wigan Warriors into top spot while the Huddersfield Giants knew that a second consecutive win would lift them up to four league points, level with tenth in the table Castleford.

The visitors had a massive twenty-eight point start on the handicap coupon, the bookies, pundits and most fans giving them little hope of a famous Hull double within a fortnight as Luke Robinsons men looked to salvage some pride out of a disappointing 2025 season.

In reality, the expectation was for a cricket score win for the Robins.

 

Hull KR dominated the opening moments of the game with sustained pressure on the Giants line, Jai Whitbread being held up over the line on eight minutes.

The home side finally got off the mark in thirteen with Joe Burgess on hand to walk in down the left wing after good work to keep the ball alive in the centre of the field. Arthur Mourgue was unable to add the extras from wide.

Jared Warea-Hargreaves was sin-binned on twenty-four for a high tackle on Matty English to hand some initiative to the Giants. On the second play from the resulting penalty the Giants were held up over the line.

The reduction in players came and went without points in either direction and the half time hooter sounded with the home side just four points in the lead, speaking more of the Giants grit and determination over forty minutes that the expected Hull KR dominance.

On fifty-eight the Robins finally got their second of the game, talisman Mikey Lewis forcing his way over from ten metres out after evading three Giants tacklers to reach for the line.  This time Mourgue found the target for 10-0, likely to be enough to seal the win with twenty minutes remaining.

Four minutes later it was certainly game over when Tyrone May exploited a tired Giants defence as he changed direction and skipped past the broken Giants defence to score by the right upright. Mourgue added the extras.

The gap to the next KR try was just two minutes with a long range try which had seen Lewis pulled down five short before the ball was moved wide to Kelepi Tanginoa to score left of the posts.  Mourgue added the conversion for 22-0, the Giants capitulating after a formidable first hour.

Jack Brown was next to add to the Hull KR total on seventy-three after a short goal line dropout when he took a delightful inside pass to push over from five metres out. Mourgue added the conversion but now it was a blow out.

Burgess got his second on seventy-six after taking a Lewis pass and dummying his way past the last defender to jog home and ground. Mourgue added a fifth goal of the game for 34-0.

Decent Huddersfield defence, and impotent Hull KR attack, for the opening hour gave the visiting supporters some hope of a shock win and the home contingent concern that their side had lost it’s mojo. But in the last twenty minutes the home side cut loose and put the Giants to the sword to record what looks on paper like a convincing victory and a clean sheet. KR are back at the top of the table with a two point buffer to Wigan.

Hull KR: Mourgue (G 5/6), Davies, Booth, Broadbent, Burgess (2T), Lewis (T), May (T), Hadley, Litten, Warea-Hargreaves (SB on 24), Batchelor, Whitbread, Minchella.  Subs: Brown (T), Luckley, Tanginoa (T), Leyland. 18^th Man: Doro.

Huddersfield Giants: Flanagan, Gagai, Halsall, Milne, Swift, Clune, Rush, Wilson, Woolford, Greenwood, Hewitt, Bibby, Cudjoe. Subs: Golding, English, Rushton, King. 18^th Man: Bibby.

Half-Time: 4-0.

Full-Time: 34-0.

Score Progression: 4-0, (SB) : HT: 8-0, 10-0, 14-0, 16-0, 20-0, 22-0, 26-0, 28-0, 32-0, 34-0 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: KR.

Referee: Tom Grant.