Rovers have to produce season’s best to gain win
BUT CHAMPIONS ARE NOT UNBEATABLE
Hull KR travel over to St Helens’ Totally Wicked Stadium knowing they must give a better account of themselves than the reverse fixture back in March. As good as the champions were that night, Rovers offered very little threat in the 42-8 defeat at Craven Park.
It’s hard to find weaknesses within the Saints ranks, but as shown in their defeats to Toulouse and Wigan, you have to get in the faces of the champions from the first whistle to have any chance of claiming a victory.
If Rovers are to spoil James Roby’s party as the legendary hooker breaks the all-time Super League appearance record, they must try to silence the home fans early and offer constant threats in the opening stages.
A good example is when the other side from Hull took on St Helens.
Although FC didn’t get the result on the night, they were the better side in the first half but couldn’t take their chances.
Which ultimately played into Saints’ hands, who turned up the heat in the second half and ran away with the result.
The blunt truth is that Rovers haven’t beaten Saints away from home in nine years, and not many people are tipping them to end that statistic tomorrow.
The Robins have nothing to lose when they take to the field but will still want to lay a marker down to the rest of the chasing pack even if the result doesn’t go their way.
The champions can be off the boil for the majority of a match and still grind out a result.
That’s the calibre of opposition facing the Robins. Still, the old saying that to be the best, you have to beat the best is the mentality Hull KR have to take into the contest.
Rovers’ spine is once again an essential aspect of breaking down their opposition. If Coote, Milnes, Lewis, Parcell and Litten can click, they are in with a shout, but if the Robins produce any type of performance like they did in the recent slump, it will be a long afternoon for the club and travelling supporters.
The test will be a good indication of where Rovers are as a team, and with the hopes of a second successive season in the play-offs, Tony Smith’s men must be ready to go to places they haven’t reached so far in 2022 to get a result against the league’s standout side.