Hull Kingston Rovers kick-off 2022 in style with a high-scoring win over Dewsbury Rams

Hull Kingston Rovers start 2022 with a dominant performance over Betfred Championship outfit Dewsbury Rams.

The Robins racked up 10 tries as Tony Smith’s men left the Tetley’s Stadium with a 60-12 victory.

Donning their “icons of Hull” yellow and blue strip for the first time, over 800 travelling fans greeted the team to a chorus of “Red Red Robin” as Shaun Kenny-Dowall led his side out after retaining the captaincy following a fantastic 2021.

As expected, the visitors dominated possession in the opening exchanges with Albert Vete, Korbin Sims and Jez Litten getting Rovers on the front foot from the start. Under the Smith reign, KR have played to their strengths of keeping the ball alive and last night was no different.

After two missed chances in the previous sets, mercurial half-back Mikey Lewis opened the scoring after a short side shift play saw Sam Wood kick through for Lewis to collect. Wood was next on the score sheet after a floating kick from Jordan Abdull was greeted by a knockback from Brad Takairangi for the new signing to cross over for his first try in yellow and blue.

The Robins defence was ramped up in the opening stages, Wood and Takairangi forced the Rams man into touch providing the visitors the platform to send Tongan powerhouse Albert Vete over from close range try before the number eight was replaced by Will Maher at 18 -0 after 22 minutes.

Pre-Season is all about blowing the winter cobwebs away, and on a freezing West Yorkshire January night, the final 18 minutes of the first half showed the red hot robins at their best. Prolific winger Ryan Hall was next on the score sheet after an initial break from Lewis who was tackled 20m out from the Dewsbury line, before quick hands down the left-hand side saw SKD feed his number five who bounced off his opposite number and crashed over in the corner.

As the interchanges started to roll, Greg Richards and former Ram Tom Garrett entered the fray for the first time in KR colours, replacing Sims and Storton who had put in 28 hard minutes down the middle of the park. Dewsbury started to get into the game leading to back-to-back sets before a poor pass from former robin Matty Beharrell saw the ball float in to touch, giving the dominant away team possession once again.

Another clinical set, another try, Sam Wood once again the architect who created the space to allow Luis Johnson to break downfield before feeding Jez Litten who will not score an easier try in his career, Abdull making it five from five with the boot to give the robins a 30-0 lead.

The try of the game came three minutes before the interval, skipper Kenny-Dowall with the offload to young full-back Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e who’s lightning speed lit up the Tetley’s Stadium as the explosive PLT skipped past Jake Sweeting to burst through and run 40m under the sticks.

Watched by his Dad, the former Sheffield, Toronto, Halifax, Castleford, Newcastle and Samoa International fullback Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e and friend of the family Wakefield star Tinirau Arona, PLT was jubilant with his first 4-pointer and gave the red army a glimpse of what may be to come in the future. Half time. At the break, Rovers lead 36-0.

The second half saw Takairangi, Kenny-Dowall and Mikey Lewis all take a breather on the sidelines as Rowan Milnes, Jimmy Keinhorst and Will Tate replaced the trio. Matty Storton also re-entered into the action and it was the powering number 13 who crashed over early in the second period after back-to-back penalties depleted the energy from the struggling rams.

The next 10 minutes saw alleged tries for Tate and Wood chalked off by the officials before a 40/20 by the Rams gave us a rare look at Hull KR’s goal-line defence. Some good reads in defence by Rovers saw Dewsbury cough up possession as normality resumed. Luis Johnson hit a solid line from Milnes to make it 48-0 as academy products Max Kirkbright and Charlie Cavanaugh replaced Litten and Hall as the job was done in West Yorkshire.

Another academy product, Will Tate crossed shortly after collecting his grubber down the wing before forcing the Rams fullback Sweeting into making a mistake from Tate’s kick pressure.

Debutants Tom Wilkinson, Bailey Dawson, Dan Okoro and Connor Moore all entered the field for the final 15 minutes as the now predominantly inexperienced and homegrown Rovers side letting Dewsbury score two tries in as many minutes.

Jordan Schofield was first to a ricocheting kick on the last who finally got Dewsbury on the board before sloppy defence from Sims and Cavanaugh missing their contact with Harry Kidd as the blustering prop crashed over from a penalty tap, Beharrell converting both tries which made it 54-12 as the game entered its closing stages.

Dewsbury came banging on the door again but some brave defence from Dawson and Keinhorst pushed the Rams out to the wings before Will Tate intercepted a pass from Sykes, who raced 80 meters to score the final try of the contest. Abdull (8/8) and Milnes (2/2) were perfect with the boot as the Robins convert all 10 tries.

Rovers will of course face tougher tests throughout the year, but with nine first-team players missing including Lachlan Coote and Matt Parcell, the robins will be pleased to finally kick off their 2022 campaign.

Up next – Huddersfield (H) – Pre Season – 30th Jan

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