KR must right Challenge Cup wrongs
HULL KR and Huddersfield will know each other like the back of their hands by now as they meet for the fourth time this year.
Still, apart from the pre-season game that was primarily used to build match fitness, in the two competitive games the Robins have offered very little threat to Ian Watson’s side, and they will be looking to put plenty of wrongs from the Challenge Cup semi-final defeat in May firmly to bed.
Huddersfield are very methodical in everything they do, and their tactics won’t change tomorrow.
The Giants like to fire the early plays at the ruck, challenge the flanks on the third or fourth tackle, and then throw a high bomb up to try to trap the wingers in their bad ball and force the error in defence.
They’ve done that twice against the Robins in 2022 and comprehensively beat them both times.
In most sports, the big teams struggle when their opponents play a similar type of game to themselves, and you feel that’s what Rovers need to do tomorrow.
Tony Smith’s men must shut the Giants down from the off, be clean around the ruck, and it’s down to
Mikey Lewis and Rowan Milnes to guide their team around the field and produce a threatening kicking game.
As ever, the forward pack will have to use the same aggression and intent as they produced against Salford and St Helens to silence the Huddersfield big men.
Tireless veterans like Chris Hill, Luke Yates and Chris Mcqueen are quick to find weaknesses in their opponents and can easily expose teams down the middle of the park.
It would be a real statement of intent if Rovers were to beat the Giants, and as they aim to be in the play-offs once again, overcoming a team like Huddersfield would send a warning message to the rest of the chasing pack ahead of a trip to the South of France next weekend and a Hull derby on the horizon.
HULL KR 21-MAN SQUAD:
Lachlan Coote, Ben Crooks, Shaun Kenny-dowall, Ryan Hall, Albert Vete, Matt Parcell, George King, Dean Hadley, Matty Storton, Jez Litten, Korbin Sims, Elliot Minchella, Jimmy Keinhorst, Will Dagger, Mikey Lewis, Rowan Milnes, Will Maher, Ethan Ryan, Sam Wood, Greg Richards, Frankie Halton. HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 21-MAN SQUAD: Will Pryce, Jermaine Mcgillvary, Jake Wardle, Ricky Leutele, Ashton Golding, Tui Lolohea, Danny Levi, Michael Lawrence, Josh Jones, Chris Mcqueen, Luke Yates, Matty English, Joe Greenwood, Owen Trout, Seb Ikahihifo, Oliver Wilson, Leroy Cudjoe, Olly Russell, Innes Senior, Sam Hewitt, Nathan Mason.