Hull’s Swift off the mark
‘FORREST GUMP’ RUNS RIOT
HAT-TRICK hero Adam Swift was hailed as Hull’s very own Forrest Gump by delighted coach Tony Smith.
The pacey winger, 30, grabbed a hattrick as the Black and Whites eased past shoddy Castleford into the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
It was Swift’s first treble since scoring three for St Helens against Hull four years ago. He will now face his former club after FC were drawn at home to Super League champions Saints for next month’s last-eight showdown.
Smith said: “Swifty runs as much as he can and gets to the point where he can hardly run any further. He’s a bit like Forrest Gump. I’ve got to tell him to stop sometimes.”
Aussie half-back Jake Clifford ran the show alongside Jake Trueman, who made his first return to former club Castleford. Cas had loose-forward Joe Westerman and hooker Paul McShane as makeshift half-backs with prop George Lawler at nine.
But few could have expected them being 22-0 down inside just 32 minutes. Clifford raced 90 metres after just 117 seconds, having stripped the ball from Westerman. That was chalked out after video replays showed Josh Griffin was also involved in the tackle. But the carnage soon came. Griffin scored himself off Tex Hoy’s short ball, Clifford slotting the first of his four goals.
Clifford then set up Swift when his grubber luckily ricocheted back to him down the left flank. Swift added his second in the 29th minute
Hull scored back-toback tries when the impressive Griffin broke clear in the next set off Clifford’s latest clever pass. Hoy, Clifford, Liam Sutcliffe and Trueman all supported before Jack Brown finished off.
Castleford avoided being nilled when ex-Hull winger Mahe Fonua finished a move of rare quality.
But Trueman ushered Jordan Lane over with alarming ease at the start of the second period. Swift completed his treble from Clifford’s brilliant cut-out pass in the 61st minute and Will Tate added a second for Cas. CASTLEfORd – Tries: Fonua, Tate. HULL fC – Tries: Griffin, Swift (3), Brown, Lane. Cons: Clifford (4).