A Grand Final rematch between the only unbeaten side in 2025,
against the defending Champions pitted Hull Kingston Rovers against the Wigan
Warriors at Craven Park in a much anticipated encounter, on paper the highlight
of round seven.
The home side were without injured talisman Mikey Lewis but
had a more than able stand-in with Jez Litten named in the starting thirteen at
stand off against a very strong looking Wigan Warriors side who had been
installed as slight favourites with the bookies.
The last time that the two sides met was at Old Trafford
last October when Wigan emerged as 9-2 victors, the last time that KR got a win
was four meetings ago back in April 2024 when the Robins won by 26-10.
A spectacular effort from Joe Burgess, leaping for the
corner after taking an Oliver Gildart pass tight to the left touchline. With most
of his body over the sideline he managed to force the ball to the ground. Arthur
Mourge added an excellent touchline conversion; Hull KR had shown that they
mean business.
Wigan struck back on twenty minutes thanks to the genius of Bevan
French who spotted and went through the smallest of gaps before passing to Zach
Eckersley on the Wigan thirty, the centre pinning back his ears and sprinting seventy
metres to score. Harry Smith added the extras to level the scores at 6-6.
After defending for their lives KR hit Wigan on the counter
on the half hour, Peta Hiku taking a Tyrone May pass to go through the broken Wigan
defence and score from ten metres out. Mourgue was again on target for 12-6 to
the home side.
Burgess had a try ruled out on forty-three as he failed to
ground a grubber kick into goal. Wigan took full advantage as they turned
defence into attack, Jake Wardle stepping through the line, dropping the hips,
and going twenty to score in the corner. Smith failed to find the target, Wigan
still two adrift.
The game was living up to all pre-match expectations.
On fifty-four Eckersley came close to getting his second as
he outpaced the KR players down the right side but when he kicked ahead to try
and get past the full-back but Mourgue won the race to collect the bouncing
ball.
Thirteen minutes from time Wigan hit he front, Smith
throwing the dummy and dropping the shoulder to score from five metres out as
Kruise Leeming bought the misdirect. Smith added the conversion for a 16-12
lead.
It was game over on seventy-one, a suicidal offload from Hull
KR saw the loose ball picked up by Bevan French who broke downfield before
finding Jai Field who sprinted home under the sticks. Smith added the goal for
a ten-point Wigan lead, KR tiring and the Warriors taking full advantage.
An awful offload from Burgess, inside his own ten, gifted
Abbas Miski a try as he took a Tyler Dupree pass to go over from five metres
out and force the ball to the ground.
This was a most Wigan of Wigan performances, boding their
time and absorbing the pressure before striking a fatal blow with rapier
precision to pinch the points in a cauldron-like atmosphere in front of a
partisan and expectant crowd. KR were superior in the first half and worthy of their
interval lead but Wigan were near flawless in the second and were able to
convert their half chances ionto unanswered points. Wigan are up to second,
just two points behind the league leaders KR.
Hull KR: Mourgue (G 2/2), Davies, Hiku (T), Gildart, Burgess
(T), Litten, May, Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Tanginoa, Minchella. Subs: Broadbent, Luckley, Whitbread, Brown.
18th Man: Doro.
Wigan Warriors: Field (T), Miski (T), Eckersley (T), Wardle
(T), Marshall, French, Smith (T, G 4/5), Byrne, Leeming, Walters, Nsemba, Farrell,
Ellis. Subs: O’Neill, Mago, Dupree, Hill. 18th Man: Farrimond.
Half-Time: 12-6.
Full-Time: 12-28.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 6-4, 6-6, 10-6, 12-6 : HT:
12-10, 12-14, 12-16, 12-20, 12-22, 12-26, 12-28 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: KR – Square – KR -Wigan.
Referee: Jack Smith.
